Private households are increasingly in the spotlight not only as consumers but also as a provider of innovative generated power. The applications of renewable generated power become even more diverse and engage in the classic areas of fossil fuels, especially because of digitalization. Concerning these new opportunities and roles in the energy system, the dynamic of change and the complexity of private households in the energy market increase, but also offer opportunities to solve existing problems, such as those incurred by the fluctuation of wind and solar energy.
At the present, many fundamental questions about the potentials and limitations of this new market operator and its role and importance in the future digital energy system are open. The goal of this project was to achieve responses to the role, the function and the socio-ecological potential of private households for a decentralized energy transition and to give recommendations for social-ecological funding policies.