Per Ribbing
Uppsala University, Sweden
Title: Currents of electricity do not develop energy systems, currents of money do: facilitating ‘consumer power’ in deregulated power markets
Biography
Biography: Per Ribbing
Abstract
This article introduces a new paradigm for electric power, a new perspective on the product electricity. It aims to enhance the understanding of a possible sustainable development of power systems in deregulated power markets. The traditional perspective of the product electricity actually became out-of-date already in the early 1900’s. This new paradigm offers a possibility that could spur investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy and thus be disadvantageous for producers of non-renewable power, e.g. coal power. A deregulated power market is ruled by the laws of the free-market, i.e. Supply and Demand. It is not ruled by the laws of Ohm and Kirchhoff. To purchase the product electricity is to place an order of consumption beforehand, not specified in volume, space or time. The new understanding challenges the traditional paradigm of electric power. It is vital to note that the economical transaction; purchasing power, is strictly non-physical. The new perspective of the product electricity facilitates 'Consumer Power'. The driving force for this paradigm shift is identified as the increased awareness of the dangers of climate change. Very few people want to buy power generated from fossil fuels but because of the common confusion concerning the product electricity, people still buy it. A reduced demand for fossil power would impair the economy of fossil power plants and possibly halt investments in fossil energy.