The nexus of energy sufficiency, prosumerism, and flexibility: a framework for equitable energy transition

Peer-reviewed paper 1-145-26 

There is broad consensus that future energy systems must be climate-neutral, affordable, resilient, and universally accessible. Energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy deployment, while essential, are insufficient to achieve the scale and pace of demand reduction required by the Paris Agreement. Energy sufficiency, defined as limiting energy use to levels compatible with well-being and planetary boundaries, must complement efficiency and renewables. Sufficiency explicitly addresses absolute consumption levels rather than relative intensity improvements, while allowing increased energy access for underserved populations, thereby linking decarbonisation with equity objectives.

Closely related, energy justice provides a normative framework to ensure fair distribution of benefits and burdens, recognition of diverse needs and identities, and inclusive participation in energy system transformation. Technological advances in renewable generation, storage, and digitalisation have simultaneously enabled energy prosumerism and demand-side flexibility. Prosumers actively participate in energy production and consumption; demand-side flexibility provides the system balancing essential for integrating variable renewable energy. These developments can enhance system resilience, democratise energy governance, and reduce system costs, but without appropriate policies and market designs, risk reinforcing socio-economic inequalities by privileging households with greater access to capital, technology, and information.

This paper examines the interactions, synergies, and trade-offs between energy sufficiency, demand flexibility, and prosumerism, and assesses how these concepts can be aligned with energy justice principles. Applying a structured conceptual review methodology, synthesising peer-reviewed literature, EU policy analysis, and case evidence, the paper proposes an integrated nexus framework and identifies the policy, regulatory, and market conditions necessary to support a fair, smart, and democratic energy system.