Energy systems around the world are changing, not only in terms of the technologies involved, but also with respect to economic, social, geographic and political dimensions. This perspective examines how four key trends: decarbonisation, decentralisation, digitalisation and democratisation – collectively packaged as the ‘four Ds’ of energy system transformation – are being discussed to describe energy system change. Rather than existing as concrete facts, I argue that such trends are important analytical frames, and highlight the role of their social construction in articulating and realising diverse energy futures. 266 unique actors from diverse communities and multiple geographies were found to have used the four Ds and other ‘D frames’. Content analysis illustrates how articulations of energy trends have been used in actors’ sense-making around the challenges, threats and opportunities presented by energy system change. I argue that many of these articulations can be understood in the context of increasing system complexity, and specifically, the need to rationalise technical, organisational and institutional logics of control. Given the importance of the sociology of trends in shaping energy futures, the paper concludes by raising some provocations for research and policy.

世界各地的能源系统正在发生变化，不仅在所涉及的技术方面，而且在经济、社会、地理和政治方面。这个视角考察了四个主要趋势：脱碳、去中心化、数字化和民主化——统称为能源系统转型的“四个 D”——正在讨论如何描述能源系统变化。我认为这些趋势不是作为具体事实存在，而是重要的分析框架，并突出了它们的社会建设在阐明和实现多样化能源未来方面的作用。来自不同社区和多个地理区域的 266 名独特演员被发现使用了四个 D 和其他“D 框架”。内容分析说明了能源趋势的表达如何被用于参与者围绕能源系统变化带来的挑战、威胁和机遇的意义构建。我认为，在系统复杂性不断增加的背景下，可以理解其中的许多表述，特别是需要对控制的技术、组织和制度逻辑进行合理化。鉴于趋势社会学在塑造能源未来方面的重要性，本文最后提出了一些对研究和政策的挑衅。