Smart meter research ignores the social realities that make or break adoption
A new review finds that most smart meter studies treat the devices as simple plug-and-play technologies, missing the human and organizational factors that determine success or failure. For utilities and policymakers rolling out smart grids, this blind spot risks expensive deployments that fail to deliver promised savings or customer acceptance.
Originaltitel: A Social-Technical IS Perspective on Smart Meters in Smart Grids
<p>Smart meters are critical components aiming at making the grid becoming smart. There are plenty of research of smart meters, however, much of it focuses on smart meters immediate benefits, such as energy savings, while overlooking the complex socio-technical factors that affect their adoption and success. In this paper, we investigate the state of smart meters being often treated as “black-boxed” technologies in Information Systems (IS) research. Through a scoping review, we aim to prove that smart meters are indeed conceptualized as black-boxed technologies, emphasizing the need to unpack these technologies. By doing so, we highlight the importance of exploring their internal mechanisms, design features, and the broader socio-technical context. Unboxing smart meters will provide valuable insights for developing a more holistic understanding of their role and impact, ultimately guiding future research and design in this area.</p>