Abstract

For the urgent decarbonisation of energy systems, demand-side measures offer tools for a rapid

and equitable transition. A typology of demand-side measures divides them in efficiency and

sufficiency. The lesser-known sufficiency approach aims for absolute energy savings, targeting

the root of energy demand: human needs and norms concerning energy services. Despite

increasing research, sufficiency is still mostly neglected in policy. This thesis explores said

research-policy gap by identifying barriers and opportunities for including sufficiency in

quantitative energy system modelling and scenario analyses. The method comprises a

structured literature review of sufficiency in energy system modelling, a document study of six

recent Swedish and Nordic scenario analyses, and five key informant interviews with

practitioners. The literature review identified several European projects including sufficiency in

modelling, both by exogenous assumptions and endogenous integration. Yet, the document

study found that only one of six scenario analyses included and quantified sufficiency

assumptions. Assumed demand reduction was almost exclusively efficiency improvements.

Furthermore, most key informants were unfamiliar with sufficiency terminology and perceived

the concept as too vaguely defined and difficult to operationalise. For instance, sufficiency as a

condition restrained by a minimum and maximum consumption level was viewed as

controversial, while sufficiency as a demand reduction strategy was viewed as rather self-

evident. Informants also raised concerns of defining appropriate system boundaries when

investigating sufficiency potentials to avoid suboptimisation. Finally, to incorporate sufficiency

measures in modelling, informants highlighted data availability, interdisciplinary cooperation and

embedding sufficiency assumptions in coherent qualitative narratives.