This document discusses distributed power technologies and electricity supply systems from philosophical, technical, economic, and social perspectives. It presents frameworks for analyzing technologies and power systems ontologically, normatively in terms of justice and values, and theoretically in terms of causality. The document argues that distributed energy resources and generation promise a transfer and more equitable distribution of power by enabling prosumers, independent producers, and local communities through new affordances and technological development, which presents opportunities for philosophers of technology.

1. Distributing Power: Philosophical Issues in a Cratological Evaluation of Technologies Jorge Camacho, PhD University of East London

5. “ ...clean, reliable and affordable electricity at the customer site.” (Bloom Energy)

6. Distributed Generation (DG) Distributed Energy Resources (DER)

8. “ shifts control to the consumer” (Bloom Energy)

10. “ generate electricity everywhere”

11. “ think negawatts, not megawatts”

12. “ store power in superbatteries”

13. Grid 2.0 Energy Web

15. Assessment of energy systems [technologies]...

16. Technical (or 'internal') values: A system is... Effective Efficient Reliable

17. Some 'external' values:

18. (Economic) (Ecological) A system is... Cost effective Sustainable

19. Cratological -> ( kratus = power)

20. Objective #1: Technologies Social Power ->

21. Framework: * Ontological * Normative (Evaluative) * Theoretical (Explanatory) Framework: * Ontological * Normative (Evaluative) * Theoretical (Explanatory)

22. Objective #2: Electricity Supply Systems

24. Systems Ontology> Mario Bunge

25. <(Social) Systems Ontology James S. Coleman

26. Systems Ontology of Technology > Miguel A. Quintanilla

27. System = Composite object (Components bonded by interactions)

28. System: C > Composition E > Environment S > Structure M > Mechanism (characteristic process)

29. Technological System: C > actors and artifacts E > other systems (inc. social) S > relations... M > “technological realization” (Quintanilla)

30. A sequence of “ actions intentionally oriented to the transformation of things in order to achieve a valuable result.” Technological realization: (Quintanilla)

31. Social ontology... < social power

32. Coleman's 'social algebra'...

33. Social System: C > actors and resources E > ////////////////// S > control and interest M > ...............................

34. Social System: C > actors and resources E > ////////////////// S > control and interest M > social exchange

35. The most interesting resources... … are the most valuable .

36. Power (of a social actor) = measure of the value of the resources under her/his control.

37. Power (of a social actor) = Capacity to act / decide about the system as a whole.

38. Normative / Evaluative dimension> < What is the fair or just distribution of power in society?

39. < Distributive Justice Ronald Dworkin James S. Coleman

40. Equality... ...of what? (Amartya Sen)

41. Equality of resources (R. Dworkin) >

42. Equivalence of resources =

43. Equality... ...of Power

44. Theoretical / Explanatory dimension> < How can technological development be causally related to distribution of power?

45. Economic power> < Markets and industries

47. <Affordance > >Social affordance < (J.J. Gibson, Don Norman, Manuel Delanda)

48. Objective #2: Electricity Supply Systems

58. Reduction of scale> <competition, re-distribution of power?

59. * Vertical re-integration * Horizontal concentration * Barriers to entry * High prices

60. < affordances not realized

61. < affordances not realized > political challenge

62. New Paradigm: DER Distributed Energy Resources

63. Promise: transfer of power> * prosumers * independent producers * local communities

64. Egalitarian affordances >

65. Egalitarian affordances > <philosophers of technology

66. < thank you >