Smart electricity meters are often highlighted as an important part of future sustainable and flexible energy systems. However, a new licentiate thesis from Linköpings universitet shows that the reality is more complex. The research suggests that the effectiveness of smart electricity meters depends not only on the technology itself, but also on governance, infrastructure, and how people use and understand the systems.
By examining developments in both Sweden and Sri Lanka, the thesis shows that gaps often emerge between political ambitions and people’s everyday experiences. To make smart energy systems work in practice, more flexible and context-sensitive governance is needed to manage changing technical and social conditions.
The thesis analyses smart electricity meters from a socio-technical perspective and argues that “smartness” is not an inherent feature of the technology itself, but something shaped through interactions between technology, institutions, and everyday practices.
The thesis is titled Smartness in Practice: A Socio-Technical Inquiry into Smart Electricity Metering. The licentiate seminar took place on 16 January 2026 at Campus Valla in Linköping.
