In this article, we talked to Marta Victoria, Associate Professor at Aarhus University, about her experience using the AURORA Energy Tracker App.
Disclaimer: Marta is also one of the key members co-developing the algorithm behind the AURORA Energy Tracker App.
How did find about the AURORA Energy Tracker App?
I am in charge of the work package to develop the algorithm behind the app, so I have been looking forward to seeing how it is implemented in the mobile application. There are also a lot of articles and posts about the app on the AURORA website and social media.
What is your experience using the app so far? Has it made you think about your consumption?
For sure! I am quite aware of my consumptions in general. For example, we choose a green electricity provider at home and I use a lot of public transport. But using the app as well as the experience developing the algorithm behind it have made me realize something more. It made me realize the large impacts that it has every time I take a long-distance flight.
Would you keep using it to track your energy consumption label over time?
Definitely for the near term but I am not sure about the long term, and that is also something which the consortium tries to address: keeping people engaged in the long run. As the insider of the project, I know there will be functions coming soon where users can check how much of their emissions are offset by their investment in the energy community, and I personally am very looking forward to it. It is not only because I have some shares in our solar community in Aarhus, but also because I trust this feature will make the app more attractive to those in our energy communities who have crowdfunded the rooftop solar installations.
What impact do you see this app having on people’s behaviour?
This is a big question and behavioural change is always hard to measure. As I mentioned earlier in my own example, the app helps some people become more aware of their consumptions and the carbon emissions associated to electricity at home and transport. But with our monitoring, I do not think the impact is large enough to be observed.
What do you think would improve the app?
One feature I would like to see is the comparison of my profile with those living in my city and country. Right now there is an average value for each country, and for me personally, it would be interesting to see where I stand among the users in my city or country: for example, am I among top 10% or am I at the bottom 25%. Of course I understand not everyone wants to see this and this may have negative implications for some, so it could be nice to have this as an optional feature and one can only see their own placement, and those who are interested can choose to enable it themselves.
