84 E. VADoVICS
introDuCtion
Hungary is poor in fossil fuel resources but at the same time close to
90% of its total primary energy supply comes from fossil fuel and nuclear
sources (MEKH 2017). Thus, dependence on external fossil fuel and
non-renewable resources is one of the most important issues facing
energy and climate policy-makers. With regards to energy system ownership structures, there is an explicit government policy to establish a stateowned, centralised infrastructure as the main means for the provision
of energy for the household sector, one of the largest final energy user
sectors with 31%, followed by the transportation (22%) and industrial
(21%) sectors (MEKH 2017). Perhaps it is not surprising that Hungary
is lagging behind other European countries in terms of both renewable
energy utilisation and community energy, as well as supporting the transition to a prosumer culture, all of which would require a more flexible
and less centralised energy system. At the same time, per capita carbon
emissions in Hungary are lower than the European average, and, in fact,
lower than in most European countries (EEA 2019, based on data from
2016). This fact if considered together with the rather high (cc. 40%)
saving potential in the household sector means that there is a so far unrealised potential towards a low-carbon economy (Energiaklub 2011).
Although, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey (2018), climate
change is not considered to be a central issue by Hungarian citizens, it is
worth noting that there is a higher than average (76%) support for the
common European energy policy (Bart et al. 2018).
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of househoLD energy
use in hungary
With the household sector taking up the largest share of final energy use
(31%), building energy efficiency is an important factor in energy and climate policy. This is especially so given the fact that Hungary’s building
stock is technically obsolete, with a large proportion of buildings lacking
adequate insulation and/or energy-efficient heating systems (Bart et al.
2018). About 86% of homes are owned privately, and the share of the
population living in detached houses is relatively high, 63% (Eurostat
2018). These households often use a mix of fuels for heating, typically
natural gas and wood. About 30% of the population live in flats, a considerable proportion of which are blocks of flats built using industrial
introDuCtion
Hungary is poor in fossil fuel resources but at the same time close to
90% of its total primary energy supply comes from fossil fuel and nuclear
sources (MEKH 2017). Thus, dependence on external fossil fuel and
non-renewable resources is one of the most important issues facing
energy and climate policy-makers. With regards to energy system ownership structures, there is an explicit government policy to establish a stateowned, centralised infrastructure as the main means for the provision
of energy for the household sector, one of the largest final energy user
sectors with 31%, followed by the transportation (22%) and industrial
(21%) sectors (MEKH 2017). Perhaps it is not surprising that Hungary
is lagging behind other European countries in terms of both renewable
energy utilisation and community energy, as well as supporting the transition to a prosumer culture, all of which would require a more flexible
and less centralised energy system. At the same time, per capita carbon
emissions in Hungary are lower than the European average, and, in fact,
lower than in most European countries (EEA 2019, based on data from
2016). This fact if considered together with the rather high (cc. 40%)
saving potential in the household sector means that there is a so far unrealised potential towards a low-carbon economy (Energiaklub 2011).
Although, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey (2018), climate
change is not considered to be a central issue by Hungarian citizens, it is
worth noting that there is a higher than average (76%) support for the
common European energy policy (Bart et al. 2018).
soCio-materiaL DynamiCs of househoLD energy
use in hungary
With the household sector taking up the largest share of final energy use
(31%), building energy efficiency is an important factor in energy and climate policy. This is especially so given the fact that Hungary’s building
stock is technically obsolete, with a large proportion of buildings lacking
adequate insulation and/or energy-efficient heating systems (Bart et al.
2018). About 86% of homes are owned privately, and the share of the
population living in detached houses is relatively high, 63% (Eurostat
2018). These households often use a mix of fuels for heating, typically
natural gas and wood. About 30% of the population live in flats, a considerable proportion of which are blocks of flats built using industrial