Over the past years, the amount of available renewable energy has increased dramatically [8], particularly solar and wind energy. We explored how we can encourage people to adjust the timing of high-power appliance usage based on renewable energy production, focusing specifically on dishwashers. We used probes to measure the dishwasher’s energy use and to upload the data via WiFi to safe data storage. This data was visualised and shared with the participants which allowed communication via a chatbot on specific actions, such as turning on the dishwasher. Our findings reveal that while participants are receptive to adopting more sustainable behaviours, factors such as the absence of clear financial incentives and the increased effort required to use appliances at less convenient times impede behavioural changes.

Team: Ariën Helder, Jesper Kapteijns, Jochem Verstegen, Amber Wu