Digital energy platforms play a central role in the transition toward a more sustainable energy system. This research explores the (potential) effect of digital energy platforms on public values. We developed and tested a novel public value framework, combining values already embedded in energy and digitalization regulations and emerging values that have become more relevant in recent debates. We analyzed value changes and potential value tensions. We found that sustainability is prioritized, security is broadened to include cybersecurity, and values relevant for digital technologies, such as control over technology, have also become relevant for the energy system. This has resulted in three value tensions: preserving a well-functioning energy system, self-determination, and ensuring a level playing field and public control. A sustainable energy system requires governments to address these value changes, value tensions, and connected societal and political challenges related to the implementation of digital energy platforms.

This paper explores the convergence of electricity and digitalization in the Netherlands. Based on the Advocacy Coalition Framework, we first show how the Paris Agreement on global warming in 2015 has led to a new renewable energy policy paradigm, in which digitalization plays a key enabling role. We will then show that the far-reaching convergence of electricity and digitalization pursued by European and Dutch policy makers will raise new policy issues. The core challenge is adequate energy data governance. Digitalization also raises policy issues in the areas of safety, consumer protection, democratic control, and equal distribution of costs and benefits in a digitized energy system. As the transition to a sustainable energy system must take place rapidly and energy data are expected to play a crucial role in achieving this, these issues are urgent.

Op 1 oktober 1691 verhoorde de schout van Amsterdam de droogscheerdersknecht Hendrick Carstense. Hij was gearresteerd tijdens een betoging van droogscheerdersknechts op de Dam. De schout toonde zich geïnteresseerd in de achtergronden van deze rumoerige bijeenkomst. Het bleek dat de droogscheerders al enkele dagen verwikkeld waren in een conflict met hun werkgevers. De knechts hadden een vergadering gehouden, waarop was besloten in staking te gaan om hun eis voor loonsverhoging kracht bij te zetten. Toen het stakingsparool was uitgegaan, maakten de knechts een rondgang door de stad, om degenen die doorwerkten te dwingen het werk neer te leggen. Deze mars eindigde in een demonstratie voor het stadhuis, waaraan door de schoutsdienaren met harde hand een einde was gemaakt. Hendrick Carstense werd als leider beschouwd en ingerekend. Uit de actie sprak een grondige voorbereiding, en daarom vroeg de schout 'wat ordre daer onder de droog-scheerdersgasten is'. De knecht legde uit dat als de droogscheerders tijdens een vergadering eenmaal een besluit hadden genomen, degenen die zich daar niet aan hielden 'vuyl' werden verklaard. Die vuilverklaring, zo voegde hij eraan toe, kon men later alleen afkopen

The Netherlands pursues a ‘dual strategy’—national and international—with regard to the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel. On the national level an above-ground facility was built in the 1990s to store radioactive waste for a period of at least 100 years. By around the year 2130 a geological disposal facility is envisaged to be operational. The Netherlands also pursues an international strategy, which leaves the possibility open for collaboration with other European Union Member States to establish a shared geological disposal facility. Currently, the country’s radioactive waste policy lacks a concrete step-by-step decision-making process to implement the above dual strategy. This chapter identifies several decision-making challenges that need to be addressed, such as clarifying the principles of retrievability and reversibility, setting up criteria to reserve potential search locations for a geological disposal facility, developing a long-term, integral, participatory knowledge agenda, strengthening the knowledge landscape and developing a participatory decision-making process that enjoys public and political support.

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