Energy poverty is an increasingly important issue. While vulnerable households are especially at risk in the energy transition, energy poverty effects of the transition are unknown. In Delft, a district heating network based on geothermal energy is planned. The distributive justice aspects of heat networks in the heating transition remain largely unexplored. In this master's thesis, an agent-based model is developed to explore inequalities in energy poverty and access to energy that might arise from the switch to a heat network. The thesis aims to explore the scenarios in which these inequalities can occur and for what types of households, and to determine policy interventions that contribute to a just and inclusive heat network. The extent and distribution of energy poverty and heat network access was explored in multiple energy price contexts, in combination with the following interventions: lower energy tax for gas use below average use and high energy tax for gas use above average use; vouchers to cover upfront costs of heat network connection; renovation of dwellings with poor energetic quality; and awareness campaigns to reduce energy use. The results show that the current district heating pricing structure increases inequality. These costs should be shifted from the high fixed costs to the variable costs to reduce energy poverty in households with low energy consumption. In addition, it was found that building renovation could decrease inequality and energy poverty. Recommendations are made for policy, research and the development of new energy poverty indicators to reduce energy poverty and inequality in the energy transition.

The municipality of Amsterdam is currently in the middle of a heat transition. The municipalit aims to cut down the use of natural gas for space heating in order to reduce its impact on the natural environment. For the Geerdinkhof neighborhood in Amsterdam South-East, the municipality is planning to implement a district heating system. These systems make use of a collective heat source and rely on underground isolated pipelines to deliver the heat to the end-user. These systems are a significant investment in infrastructure and require adjustments to households before they are suitable for this type of system. A heat transition like the one in Geerdinkhof is a significant challenge, as the heating alternatives that are considered are sometimes met with some resistance from households. Households might not always want to switch to a heating alternative for a variety of reasons. The heat transition therefore becomes a question of social acceptance: are households going to make use of this new system or will they resist the implementation? This master thesis is an exploratory study into reasons for social non-acceptance of a new residential heating system in Geerdinkhof, Amsterdam. Given the long life-time of energy systems and large investments necessary, the municipality of Amsterdam is interested in identifying reasons households might not accept a new heating technology. This thesis makes use of the theory on human values, value change and value conflicts to evaluate how households are affected by a heating alternative in their value fulfillment. In order to simulate the effects different configurations of heating alternatives can have on the human values of households, an agent-based model is constructed. This model is used to anticipate possible value conflicts households could experience in a transition to a new residential heating system. Three recommendations are made to the municipality of Amsterdam in support of social acceptance of a new heating alternative in Geerdinkhof: increase the affordability of the system through subsidies, prioritize household insulation for increased thermal comfort and answer to the Geerdinkhof neighborhood characteristics. The households in this neighborhood might require higher levels of participation, ownership and overall inclusion before they are to socially accept the heating alternative.