When studying smart grids experiments, much scholarly attention is directed at the household level. This article argues for the importance to look “further upstream” by studying the development and design phase of such interventions. The article focusses on the development of two smart grid projects in the Netherlands. Using a set of qualitative research approaches the article investigates and maps the diversity of actors that are typically involved in smart grid projects. Three themes are identified that play a central role in the design of smart energy interventions. Given the type of actors prominent in the design, this article finds that current smart energy interventions are designed based on decisions favouring technological default, certain sticky user-assumptions, and automated control. The discussion covers some implications of the prominence of these particular actors in smart grid projects, and the supply-side biased design that it engenders.

在研究智能电网实验时，很多学术关注都集中在家庭层面。本文认为，通过研究此类干预措施的开发和设计阶段，将目光放在“更上游”的重要性。本文重点介绍了荷兰的两个智能电网项目的开发。本文使用一组定性研究方法来调查和绘制智能电网项目中通常涉及的参与者的多样性。确定了三个主题，这些主题在智能能源干预的设计中起着核心作用。考虑到设计中主要的参与者类型，本文发现当前的智能能源干预是基于有利于技术默认，某些粘性用户假设和自动控制的决策而设计的。