Breffní Lennon
University College Cork, Environmental Research Institute, Department Member
- University College Cork, School of Engineering, Department Memberadd
- Geography, Local Government and Local Development, Landscape, Rural Geography, Nature Culture, European and Irish renewable energy policy, and 11 moreClimate Change Adaptation, Identity (Culture), Popular Music, Education, Social Sciences, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Wind Energy, Human Geography, and Cultural Geographyedit
- Breffni Lennon is a senior researcher at the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit in the School of Engineering at Univer... moreBreffni Lennon is a senior researcher at the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit in the School of Engineering at University College Cork, which he joined in 2015. He is a geographer researching the social and economic dimensions to the energy transition, in particular renewable energy, along with wider sustainability issues concerning long-term community engagement. His research engages with the “new mobilities paradigm” found within contemporary cultural and economic geographies; and explores the increasingly complex enmeshments of space and mobility in both physical and representative terms. Understanding how these intersections behave informs his analysis of the key research areas he engages with, namely: European energy geographies, political ecology discourses, competing representations of urban and rural spaces, analysis of local government and spatial planning practices, as well as landscape studies more generally. He is also interested in how representations of nature and wildness inform debates around socio-environmental sustainability and economic development. He is particularly interested in the dynamics of these socio-environmental intersections in relation to the UN's 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Registered Independent Expert for the European Commission, responsibilities include:
• Evaluation of proposals, prize applications and tenders
• Monitoring of actions, grant agreements, public procurement contractsedit
Living with Energy Poverty: Perspectives from the Global North and South expands our collective understanding of energy poverty and deepens our recognition of the phenomenon by engaging with the lived experiences of energy-poor households... more
Living with Energy Poverty: Perspectives from the Global North and South expands our collective understanding of energy poverty and deepens our recognition of the phenomenon by engaging with the lived experiences of energy-poor households across different contexts. Understanding the lived experience of energy poverty is an essential component in the design of any effort to alleviate what is fundamentally a deep-rooted, multi-faceted, wickedly complex problem. This requires a nuanced understanding of the causal factors and the research methods that can respond to the flexible spatial and temporal nature of the condition, as well as its wellbeing and justice implications. Drawing together the expertise and connectedness of authors from the Global South and North, this book presents novel approaches to understanding the often hidden forms of domestic energy deprivation. Case studies from 20 countries provide critical perspectives on this phenomenon while analysing the policy practices, government strategy, and sustainability implications of divergent manifestations. The book takes a multidimensional perspective, challenging the bias towards energy production and service provision, which often do not align with the aspirations and realities of energy households across global contexts, thus facilitating a useful dialogue on the nature of energy poverty. The book is a timely source for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars seeking fresh, diverse insights into the everyday reality of energy poverty and wanting to better understand the challenges a people-centred, just energy transition can present.
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Energy poverty can manifest itself in households unable, for reasons of access and/or affordability, to source clean energy for necessities such as heat, light, cooling, cooking, and appliance use, or having to use an excessive portion of... more
Energy poverty can manifest itself in households unable, for reasons of access and/or affordability, to source clean energy for necessities such as heat, light, cooling, cooking, and appliance use, or having to use an excessive portion of their disposable income to provide these essentials. Developing more effective responses to this social challenge necessitates a deeper appreciation of energy poverty and the different ways in which it manifests. While there has been some arguing for the importance of appreciating the lived experience of the energy poor, much of the literature on energy poverty has tended to be quantitative in nature. Work within the EnergyMeasures project identified a gap between the macro- and meso-level analysis of energy poverty and the identification of individual energy poor households. Energy poverty is fundamentally a human condition. The various definitions of energy poverty speak of people being unable to access or afford sufficient energy to meet their basic service needs.
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For the first time in decades, the price pressures and economic upheaval primarily caused by the global energy crisis – sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and post-COVID pandemic supply chain stress – have led to a rise in the number... more
For the first time in decades, the price pressures and economic upheaval primarily caused by the global energy crisis – sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and post-COVID pandemic supply chain stress – have led to a rise in the number of people without access to energy. The human consequences of energy poverty include a significant deterioration in physical health and mental well-being, along with premature death due to severe winter and summer conditions, unhealthy and/or restricted lifestyles, and social exclusion. There have been efforts to reduce energy poverty in both developing and developed countries over the past few decades. The need for electricity grid expansion has long been articulated in developing and developed contexts since the first half of the 20th century. More recently, global energy markets and their effects on energy availability and prices, as well as pressing environmental concerns, have induced a surge in research on energy deprivation, a condition that previously had little public recognition.
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This chapter discusses findings from an ongoing Horizon 2020 project, EnergyMeasures, relating to identifying and recruiting energy-poor households in seven participating countries (BE, BG, IE, MK, NL, PL, and UK). Understanding the... more
This chapter discusses findings from an ongoing Horizon 2020 project, EnergyMeasures, relating to identifying and recruiting energy-poor households in seven participating countries (BE, BG, IE, MK, NL, PL, and UK). Understanding the wicked problem of energy poverty is not an easy undertaking and is replete with multiple layers of complexity across numerous intersecting societal and environmental scales. Practitioners tasked with engaging energy-poor households acknowledge the difficulties involved, especially when trying to connect with those hard-to-reach households who may or may not identify as energy poor. While this chapter draws from experiences in Europe, the range and depth of practical knowledges held by the consortium partners allowed us to uncover a range of nuanced and considered approaches one can take on the topic that reflect the historical, cultural, and environmental factors specific to each country. Consequently, we critique these approaches to identifying and measuring energy vulnerability, especially indicators of energy poverty and so-called supporting indicators. As is noted throughout this book, the focus on energy poverty analysis has tended to stay at the macro-, or meso-, levels while understanding contexts at the local level often remain underdeveloped or ignored. In keeping with the overall theme of the book, approaches on how to appropriately identify energy-poor households are drawn from both the literature and experiences of practitioners active ‘in the field’.
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This chapter explores the phenomenon of the ‘energy citizen’ and the role she is expected to play in the current global energy transition. If there is to be an essentially just transition, those tasked with leading it must account for the... more
This chapter explores the phenomenon of the ‘energy citizen’ and the role she is expected to play in the current global energy transition. If there is to be an essentially just transition, those tasked with leading it must account for the intersectional experiences of all citizens when planning and building the new energy infrastructures of the low-carbon future. This has not been the case to date, which is strange given the energy system is fundamentally a social system. While citizen participation in the energy domain offers very real transformative potential for both the energy system and the wider socio-political arena, the tendency up until now has been to characterize participation along very qualified terms. These have tended to focus on the roles and expectations of individuals, with that floating signifier the ‘energy citizen’ gaining currency in a number of policy-making arenas. The chapter critiques and examines the many contradictions around citizen participation and posits the question, is this a real mark of change or just another illusory late Capitalocene chimera?
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Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and... more
Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and normative representations of participation. These are almost exclusively framed in terms of consumption behaviors and practices. This merging of citizenship and consumerism is deeply problematic on a number of levels. By narrowly defining the potential of citizens to the singular role of consumer, there is a very real risk we will not achieve the socio-technical transformations that must take place if we are to mitigate against runaway climate change. This chapter explores these issues in the context of a growing body of literature on competing for energy democracy imaginaries. Significant barriers remain, from misunderstandings of what constitutes participation to the roles and expectations placed on citizens who must contend with the growing inequalities already locked into existing democratic structures.
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Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and... more
Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and nomenclatures. Citizens are increasingly expected to actively participate in the energy domain and play their part in transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. Terms like “energy citizen” have been used to describe (the accepted forms of) this participation, typically in quite prescriptive and rather limited roles, such as active consumer and prosumer. However, as with other manifestations of citizen-consumer ideals, where the framing is presented as the embodiment of freedom, the vagueness of such terms lock citizens out of what could potentially be a transformative conceptualization for transitioning to more equitable and empowering energy experiences. This chapter will examine how under-theorized and contested concepts like the “energy citizen” are already framing our collective experience(s) of the energy transition and asks for whom is the emerging energy system designed?
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This open letter captures key insights and recommendations from five European projects—HESTIA, SENDER, ReDREAM, ACCEPT, and iFLEX—focused on consumer engagement in Demand Response (DR) initiatives. Highlighting diverse and effective... more
This open letter captures key insights and recommendations from five European projects—HESTIA, SENDER, ReDREAM, ACCEPT, and iFLEX—focused on consumer engagement in Demand Response (DR) initiatives. Highlighting diverse and effective engagement strategies, including co-creation activities and virtual home tours, the letter underscores project partners' commitment to tailored and impactful user engagement. Emphasising phased organisation, varied tools, and keyword utilisation aligned with engagement timelines, the projects recognize adaptability, motivation, and eligibility as essential elements in crafting engaging recruitment materials. Addressing diverse contexts, continuous assessment is pivotal for achieving co- creation and active participation. The insights contribute to the evolving energy transition landscape, offering practical guidelines for those implementing or contemplating DR engagement strategies.
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The human use of energy is inherently understood and experienced through socially constructed frameworks. However, the degree of engagement with this topic on the part of humanities and the social sciences has until recently been uneven... more
The human use of energy is inherently understood and experienced through socially constructed frameworks. However, the degree of engagement with this topic on the part of humanities and the social sciences has until recently been uneven at best. This seems strange given current upheavals experienced in Europe and across the globe as the climate and biodiversity crises deepen. At the centre of all these crises is the energy system. Energy flows through various forms of natural and social circuitry (from production, to distribution and consumption) and these energyscapes are sited at the local, national, and transnational scales. The correlation between the (meta)physical flows taken by the various forms of energy we depend on-and the transitory social, cultural, economic, and political relationships that frame them-require much deeper study if we are to achieve the types of sustainable communities envisaged by the United Nations as part of its sustainable development goals (SDGs) for 2030. Arising from a review of current literature, this article presents recent research into the forming of citizen energy communities in Europe and the governance structures designed to facilitate their development. It also highlights the key drivers and barriers to citizen engagement with emergent, novel energetic communities.
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Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until... more
Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until recently, there has been little or no citizen involvement beyond that of consumer, bounded by the supply and demand parameters of the market. However, this is changing. Citizens are increasingly encouraged to take on more diverse roles, ranging from active consumer to more participative prosumer arrangements. This shift offers what have heretofore been unlikely opportunities, particularly in terms of the democratization and diversification of how energy is produced and consumed. Two vehicles to emerge from a recent policy cycle of the European Union are Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). Both legal entities (in the EU at least) frame a diverse range of financial instruments, business models, and citizen groupings that typically comprise the new energy infrastructure projects that characterize the Energy Transition in Europe. This presentation will introduce findings from the ACCEPT H2020 project, for which the authors utilized a multi-level analysis of the intersecting governance and sociopolitical frameworks that impact CEC formation. From this, we were able to develop a typology of key drivers and obstacles motivating citizen participation in CEC and REC projects across Europe.
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Background Every energy transition has had its winners and its losers, both economically and in terms of social justice and community cohesion. The current transition is no different given the complex, intersecting matrices of power and... more
Background Every energy transition has had its winners and its losers, both economically and in terms of social justice and community cohesion. The current transition is no different given the complex, intersecting matrices of power and experience that influence the key stakeholders and actors involved. Local oppositions to the deployment of renewable energy technologies have been significantly higher than expected. In numerous instances, these oppositions have been in reaction to the disempowerment of local rights and entitlements associated with specific developments. Consequently, there is a clear need for governance structures and organisational formats that are participatory, inclusive and mindful of the lived experiences of local people. Despite the knowledge gaps and financial constraints that continue to persist, how can local communities become empowered to drive project development and meaningfully engage in the low-carbon energy transition? Methods This paper presents a m...
Research Interests: Sustainable Communities, Participatory Action Research, Community Development, Political Science, Community Energy, and 6 moreCommunity renewable energy projects, Community Energy Planning, Energy transition, Citizen Empowerment, Community Based Energy Development, and transformative social innovation
Energy transition debates have been characterized by a strong emphasis on the technical implications of shifting away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, with little consideration of social contexts. This is now changing, with... more
Energy transition debates have been characterized by a strong emphasis on the technical implications of shifting away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, with little consideration of social contexts. This is now changing, with a growing emphasis on reconfiguring the social aspects of energy, particularly in terms of introducing more democratic processes into behavior change and energy practice engagements. This article situates itself within these debates and demonstrates the transformative potential of combining participatory action research (PAR) approaches with a modified Delphi method for understanding energy transition issues, particularly beyond forecasting instruments. There remains a dearth in literature combining the Delphi method with PAR; its application in the field of energy transitions is very innovative. PAR draws from grassroots and local-based knowledge, Delphi panels typically focus on the insights from a panel of professional experts. In combining these two approaches, to develop principles for an inclusive and just energy transition, a reflexive form of dialogue emerges that gives voice to what are often considered dissonant or mismatched perspectives. Furthermore, the experimental use of a modified Delphi panel, combined with PAR, offers a strategy to promote knowledge sharing between different groups and to counter potential communication barriers among different actors in society. This article shows how a modified Delphi panel approach is considerably enhanced by combining elements of PAR, raising the potential of Delphi panels beyond forecasting instruments, which often seek to determine the way the future "will be," toward an envisioning tool that collaboratively seeks to explore the way a low-carbon system "could be," or perhaps "should be." The development of energy transition principles, endorsed through the modified Delphi panel, offers a concrete way to enact practices of energy justice within a more democratized energy system.
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This article charts the evolution of renewable energy policy in Ireland, from its beginnings in the 1970s to the present day. It will suggest that national policy was not always coherent and often confusing to practitioners operating... more
This article charts the evolution of renewable energy policy in Ireland, from its beginnings in the 1970s to the present day. It will suggest that national policy was not always coherent and often confusing to practitioners operating within the wind energy industry. It will also show how renewable energy policy was often implemented along the ideological framework of neoliberalism with government supports being awarded at a minimum cost to the exchequer; thus favouring large-scale business interests over smaller, community-focused initiatives seen elsewhere in Europe. This over-reliance, in turn, produced very different outcomes than where initially expected and led the Irish government to change its strategy, once the failures could no longer be ignored.
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This article assesses ecological modernisation as a theoretical tool to explain how modernising energy networks and the globalised localities, which are sited within these networks, respond to inter/national policies on climate change.... more
This article assesses ecological modernisation as a theoretical tool to explain how modernising energy networks and the globalised localities, which are sited within these networks, respond to inter/national policies on climate change. The past twenty years has seen an increase in sophistication in debates around what role the theory of ecological modernisation plays in explaining this current phase of modernity, with its heightened structural complexity coupled with a growing acceptance of the finite state of our natural resources.
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Past energy transitions have been characterised by strategic geopolitical and socio-economic drivers that rarely considered issues of social justice or community cohesion. This is interesting given the profound systemic reconfigurations... more
Past energy transitions have been characterised by strategic geopolitical and socio-economic drivers that rarely considered issues of social justice or community cohesion. This is interesting given the profound systemic reconfigurations that took place. The current transition to low-carbon energy has seen a departure of sorts, particularly in terms of the complex, intersecting drivers involved. Consequently, there has been a widening of the roles citizens are expected to take, particularly in terms of participation and engaging with the energy system. However, differing interpretations of how these roles are to be expressed, and the degree of power to be assigned those roles, has resulted in contradicting responses from local people. The rollout of what appear to be broadly popular renewable energy technologies has met with strong resistance at the local level. Place attachment – especially in terms of belonging, identity, relationships, and acceptance – has come to define localised responses to recent (inter)national energy and climate-related policy. Understanding how place attachment affects the (re)negotiating of local understandings of place is therefore important, as is its role in sustaining narratives of resistance to locally unpopular strategic energy projects. This paper will present findings from the SEAI-funded project, EnergyPolities and cognate work, which explored how governance structures intersect with socio-economic and key socio-cultural factors to influence the social acceptability or otherwise of current energy transition pathways. It will also examine recent responses from powerful actors challenged by emerging citizen participation and engagement roles, and discusses the tactics used to limit the diversity of voices and perspectives in the energy transition.
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This paper outlines the methodology of a Knowledge and Communication Platform (KCP) as part of the Horizon2020 project Energy System Transition Through Stakeholder Activation, Education and Skills Development (ENTRUST). The ENTRUST... more
This paper outlines the methodology of a Knowledge and Communication Platform (KCP) as part of the Horizon2020 project Energy System Transition Through Stakeholder Activation, Education and Skills Development (ENTRUST). The ENTRUST project provides a mapping of Europe’s energy system and an in-depth understanding of how human behaviour around energy is shaped by both technological systems and socio-demographic factors. Central to the project is an in-depth engagement with six communities across Europe. The purpose of the KCP is to disseminate and share knowledge and to facilitate and promote dialogue on energy efficiency and transitioning to a low carbon system.
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With contributions from: Harriet Emerson, Niall P. Dunphy, Clare Watson, Breffni Lennon, James Glynn, Fionn Rogan, Edmond Byrne, Evan Boyle, Connor McGookin, Sonja Smith, Frances Fahy, Barry O’Dwyer, Diarmuid Torney, Pat Brereton, John... more
With contributions from:
Harriet Emerson, Niall P. Dunphy, Clare Watson, Breffni Lennon, James Glynn, Fionn Rogan, Edmond Byrne, Evan Boyle, Connor McGookin, Sonja Smith, Frances Fahy, Barry O’Dwyer, Diarmuid Torney, Pat Brereton, John Morrissey, Mary Greene, Stephan Hugel, James Carroll, Ruth Doyle, Eugene Farrell, Liam Carr, Geertje Schuitema
Harriet Emerson, Niall P. Dunphy, Clare Watson, Breffni Lennon, James Glynn, Fionn Rogan, Edmond Byrne, Evan Boyle, Connor McGookin, Sonja Smith, Frances Fahy, Barry O’Dwyer, Diarmuid Torney, Pat Brereton, John Morrissey, Mary Greene, Stephan Hugel, James Carroll, Ruth Doyle, Eugene Farrell, Liam Carr, Geertje Schuitema
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This Toolkit is part of COST Action CA16232 - European Energy Poverty: Agenda Co-Creation and Knowledge Innovation, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), an EU funding agency for research and innovation... more
This Toolkit is part of COST Action CA16232 - European Energy Poverty: Agenda Co-Creation and Knowledge Innovation, supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), an EU funding agency for research and innovation networks (www.cost.eu). COST Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. ENGAGER brings together a diverse and extensive body of stakeholders to help understand and address the energy poverty challenge. ENGAGER consists of four Working Groups (WGs). This Toolkit is prepared by WG 3 on ‘Dialogues - Co-producing emancipatory research and practice. For more information visit:
http://www.engager-energy.net/
Editors: Marlies Hesselman ● Sergio Tirado-Herrero ● Marilyn Smith ●
Marine Cornelis
Contributors Íñigo Antepara ● Anna Bajomi ● Roberto Barrella ● Umberto Cao ● Souran Chatterjee ● Teresa Cuerdo ● Audrey Dobbins ● Giovanni Frigo ● Sara Fuller ● Mariëlle Feenstra ●João Pedro Gouveia ● Rachel Guyet ● Vivien Kizilcec ● Breffni Lennon ● Irene González Pijuán ● Slavica Robić ● Caitlin Robinson ● Nevena Smilevska ● Anaïs Varo ● Hyerim Yoon ● Lidija Živčič
http://www.engager-energy.net/
Editors: Marlies Hesselman ● Sergio Tirado-Herrero ● Marilyn Smith ●
Marine Cornelis
Contributors Íñigo Antepara ● Anna Bajomi ● Roberto Barrella ● Umberto Cao ● Souran Chatterjee ● Teresa Cuerdo ● Audrey Dobbins ● Giovanni Frigo ● Sara Fuller ● Mariëlle Feenstra ●João Pedro Gouveia ● Rachel Guyet ● Vivien Kizilcec ● Breffni Lennon ● Irene González Pijuán ● Slavica Robić ● Caitlin Robinson ● Nevena Smilevska ● Anaïs Varo ● Hyerim Yoon ● Lidija Živčič
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A key objective of work package 3 is to understand the drivers and motivations of citizens as they engage with the energy system, most often in their role as consumers. This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.2 of the work... more
A key objective of work package 3 is to understand the drivers and motivations of citizens as they engage with the energy system, most often in their role as consumers. This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.2 of the work package and is the result of a detailed desk-based research mapping the types of participation citizens are undertaking as part of the energy transition, whether it be as producers, consumers, or prosumers of energy. The deliverable outlines existing and emerging patterns of consumer engagement around energy, including current demand response initiatives in the EU. An overview of the socio-political status of community energy in fourteen European countries is presented, encompassing broad range of experience across member states and includes an illustrative case study from each country. These case studies represent a diverse range of energy projects and characterise the drivers, limitations, and challenges encountered by those currently engaged in community energy development. In addition, the socio-economic, socio-cultural, and geographic factors involved in CEC formation are examined to develop an in-depth understanding of the factors driving community engagement.
This report should be considered in conjunction with its companion deliverable, D3.9 Energy Governance Analysis and Typology for Communities. Taken together, they provide an overview of the key factors currently impacting CEC formation in Europe and the governance frameworks that are driving it
This report should be considered in conjunction with its companion deliverable, D3.9 Energy Governance Analysis and Typology for Communities. Taken together, they provide an overview of the key factors currently impacting CEC formation in Europe and the governance frameworks that are driving it
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This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.3 of work package 3 of the ACCEPT H2020 project and examines the governance and socio-political contexts that condition and structure current pathways to participation, particularly... more
This deliverable reports on work undertaken for Task 3.3 of work package 3 of the ACCEPT H2020 project and examines the governance and socio-political contexts that condition and structure current pathways to participation, particularly in terms of citizen energy community (CEC) formation. Applying a multi-level perspective, the authors analysed the barriers and drivers to development at a number of scales including the local/individual, regional, national, and EU levels, outlining how citizens are encouraged to, or indeed dissuaded from, participate in these types of energy transition pathways. From this comparative work, we were able to develop a typology of key drivers and barriers to citizen participation in CECs, many of which are common across member states. This is presented in Tables 1 and 2 below and is discussed in more detail in Section 5 of the report. This typology is now informing ongoing work in work package 3 and is contributing to preparatory work for work package 8.
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This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of... more
This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of the NewTREND project. These activities comprised the second strand of stakeholder engagements for WP6. Task 6.2 placed an emphasis on engaging with those stakeholders who are more often overlooked in more traditional stakeholder engagement processes. Traditionally, the experiences of professionals and stakeholders have invariably come to the fore, with those categorised as users/occupants having less of a voice. Therefore, Task 6.2 has tried to remedy that somewhat and focus of the user/occupier experiences.
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This deliverable forwards concepts of novel business models which will contribute to the fostering of the energy transition through addressing specific social, market and other barriers. The objective being to facilitate stakeholders... more
This deliverable forwards concepts of novel business models which will contribute to the fostering of the energy transition through addressing specific social, market and other barriers. The objective being to facilitate stakeholders (whether suppliers or consumers of energy) to shape and progressively interact with the energy system to effectively deliver a low-carbon system. The examples of (more) sustainable business models forwarded in this report will in particular, but not entirely focus on community- based approaches (complementing the work presented in Lennon, Dunphy et al., 2018) and public-private partnerships as a means of addressing issues such as public acceptance, split incentives, risk sharing, etc.
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This report is an initial mapping exercise examining the available information on socio-demographic factors, which influence energy behaviours and practices in six European countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United... more
This report is an initial mapping exercise examining the available information on socio-demographic factors, which influence energy behaviours and practices in six European countries: France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. It both catalogues and characterises the principal datasets available to researchers in each country, as well as indicating specific research projects that provide information on the socioeconomic and socio-demographic aspects of energy behaviour. The report aims to provide a baseline from which ENTRUST can proceed in developing a deepened understanding of how human behaviour around energy is shaped by both technological systems and socio-demographic factors, in particular gender, age and socioeconomic status. It prepares the ground for the detailed analyses of energy-related behaviours, practices, perceptions and attitudes in the five communities of practice, which forms the substance of WP3. Section 1 outlines the purpose of the report as well as the theoretical perspective adopted by ENTRUST and how this relates to current social science work in the field of energy research. Section 2 details the methodology adopted: a systematic literature review utilising a ‘Boolean’ keyword search; and snowballing from reference lists deploying both a ‘backward’ and a ‘forward’ snowballing methodology. Section 3 presents the results of the literature review on a country-by-country basis. It lists the key quantitative and (where available) qualitative datasets relevant to energy-related behaviour and practices in each country. It also summarises some of their key characteristics. The principle conclusion is that the datasets tend to be disaggregated according to relatively narrow sets of socio-demographic and socioeconomic variables matched with only selected forms of energy use. What is absent is any dataset that disaggregates statistics for energy use according to a comprehensive array of socio-demographic characteristics, and which incorporates the whole range of energy related behaviours that include both energy use within the home as well as related to travel and other uses. Section 4 offers some general observations on the results of the literature review from a European perspective. Section 5 is an indicative bibliography of energy research in the social sciences, drawing on the literature review and with a particular focus on studies relevant to the aims of the ENTRUST H2020 project.
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Exploring and utilising the concept of intersectionality as research paradigm, methodological guidance, and as a tool of analysis, D3.3 provides a rich description of the perceptions and attitudes towards the energy system and large-scale... more
Exploring and utilising the concept of intersectionality as research paradigm, methodological guidance, and as a tool of analysis, D3.3 provides a rich description of the perceptions and attitudes towards the energy system and large-scale energy technologies amongst the participants from ENTRUST’s six communities of practice. Drawing on the qualitative and quantitative data produced from engaging with community members, the ‘(in)visibility of energy’, and the issue of ‘power and the control of the energy system’, as well as the acceptability of RES and other forms of power generation, including nuclear, are discussed.
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Bottom-up and practice-based social innovations need to be incorporated in an integrated manner to achieve the required paradigm shift for energy system change. This Deliverable asks “how can new technologies and practices be best... more
Bottom-up and practice-based social innovations need to be incorporated in an integrated manner to achieve the required paradigm shift for energy system change. This Deliverable asks “how can new technologies and practices be best supported/disseminated to achieve ‘lift-off’ and impact?” Innovation studies approaches, including Strategic Niche Management thinking have been applied. Innovation needs, and specific and tailored innovation responses have been identified for 4 of the ENTRUST communities of practice; these are Stockbridge, Le Trapèze, Secondigliano and Dunmanway. Outcomes point to new policy mixes and practice-based changes at the community level to inform innovation pathways for each community.
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This report investigates everyday domestic energy practices across ENTRUST’s six participating communities. Exploring the advantages of social practice approaches to the everyday consumption of energy in comparison to narrow behaviourist... more
This report investigates everyday domestic energy practices across ENTRUST’s six participating communities. Exploring the advantages of social practice approaches to the everyday consumption of energy in comparison to narrow behaviourist models, the report expands on the importance of developing an intersectional understanding of the multiple social positions that people occupy, and the impact of these on everyday energy practices. In particular, the impact that gender, age, and levels of socio-economic privilege have on the performance of domestic practices that emerged from the community engagements are explored, as well as a comparative assessment of the impact of these on community cohesion and resilience.
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This report summarises the outputs from three distinct strands of research carried out for the ENTRUST Horizon 2020 research project from work packages (WPs) 2, 3 and 4. An overview of each deliverable from these WPs is provided with... more
This report summarises the outputs from three distinct strands of research carried out for the ENTRUST Horizon 2020 research project from work packages (WPs) 2, 3 and 4. An overview of each deliverable from these WPs is provided with outlines of respective methodologies employed and a discussion of key findings for each. This information is then synthesised into a discussion on multi-level understandings of the energy system and what this means within specific contexts; notably technological characterisation, business model perspectives, energy policy, and concepts of citizenship and participation.
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This report presents research carried out on new policy mixes and innovative cooperation mechanisms that have the potential to support the energy transition. In addition to the key findings emerging from WP5, the report has also applied a... more
This report presents research carried out on new policy mixes and innovative cooperation mechanisms that have the potential to support the energy transition. In addition to the key findings emerging from WP5, the report has also applied a number of the lessons learned from Task 4.1 to develop the cooperation mechanisms that will prove useful to policy makers tasked with driving the energy transition at the various socio-political and infrastructural levels of Europe’s energy transition.
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This paper situates itself within research identifying sustainable energy transition frameworks that best facilitate the technology shift needed to realise a low-carbon society. How local people continually (re)negotiate the many power... more
This paper situates itself within research identifying sustainable energy transition frameworks that best facilitate the technology shift needed to realise a low-carbon society. How local people continually (re)negotiate the many power dynamics, integral to engaging in the energy system, is represented using the perspectives of people living in six very different communities across Europe. The people in these communities face corresponding, and indeed some quite different, challenges as they proceed with their energy-transition pathways in keeping with wider societal shifts. While efforts to meet the challenges posed by the sustainable energy transition have been mixed, in part due to an emphasis on top-down technocratic solutions, efforts have been made to incorporate notions of citizenship into official discourses. This paper critiques those efforts and shifts the focus back to the human dimension of the energy transition. It examines local peoples’ perspectives as they continually renegotiate the many (and sometimes hidden) competing spaces of social and economic power that exist at each level of the energy transition. Local people are often portrayed as being passive in this transition when, in fact, the reality can be quite the opposite. People tend to occupy fluid, (re)active, participatory spaces depending on a myriad of interlinked lifestyle choices and economic barriers that can influence the success or failure of (supra)national policy. This paper will present key findings from research conducted as part of ENTRUST, an interdisciplinary H2020 research project exploring the human factor in the energy system.
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While it is widely accepted that we are witnessing an ongoing and profound technological transformation of the European energy system, to date there has been a tendency towards what can only be described as rather top-down, technocratic... more
While it is widely accepted that we are witnessing an ongoing and profound technological transformation of the European energy system, to date there has been a tendency towards what can only be described as rather top-down, technocratic solutions. Usually, initiatives designed to promote this transition have incorporated human expectations and experiences in rather superficial ways, emphasising a need to change people’s behaviours to specific technologies over addressing the very real and fundamental challenges that are required. Since people are essential to the energy transition, this diversion in focus presents a significant potential weakness to those efforts. Therefore, this paper will explore how ideas of citizenship inform local people’s responses to the energy transition and how their experiences do not always coincide with the narratives from those driving the transition. It presents the perspectives of people living in six quite different communities from across Europe, with each community facing its own considerable challenges as they embark on their energy-transition pathways. The intersectional experiences of individuals within those communities, as they negotiate those very same challenges, are also considered. In reality, local people often occupy more (re)active, participatory and sometimes conflicted spaces than the over-simplistic, neoliberal and consumerist paradigm would suggest. The “energy citizens” within these communities have expressed contested notions of agency in individual decision making, a deeper understanding of the efficacy of public policy than one would otherwise presume, and the socio-environmental parameters that are thrown up by these dynamic interfaces.
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This paper is a result of research that situates itself within geographical discourses on landscape, the production of space, renewable energy technologies and the policies that both regulate and generate contestations of governance,... more
This paper is a result of research that situates itself within geographical discourses on landscape, the production of space, renewable energy technologies and the policies that both regulate and generate contestations of governance, planning and power. It will address these critical writings by considering how the policy interpretations of two local authorities can have very different consequences for a developer depending on which planning jurisdiction an application is made. The Cordal Wind Farm development, proposed to straddle the county boundaries of two local authorities in the south-west of Ireland, offers a unique insight into how local governments have interpreted Irish national planning guidelines for wind energy, highlighting the lack of uniformity of approach taken by many governments at this scale. The different conclusions each authority came to in response to changes brought about in implementing the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) are discussed and this paper will show how the increased complexity of EU policy flows directly impact on the planning outcomes of individual wind power projects.
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Renewable energy technologies are increasingly advocated as posing a viable means of reducing our current over-reliance on fossil fuels and tackling climate change. Wind energy is the only technology that can make any meaningful... more
Renewable energy technologies are increasingly advocated as posing a viable means of reducing our current over-reliance on fossil fuels and tackling climate change. Wind energy is the only technology that can make any meaningful contribution in the short-to- medium term. Despite this need for a radical technological shift (Matias and Devazas, 2007), many onshore wind farm developments have proven to be controversial at local level.
This research seeks to understand the processes which influence the successful, or otherwise, completion of onshore wind farms in counties Cork and Kerry, and how these actions in turn feed back into the policy processes of government with regards to renewable energies. At present, Cork and Kerry contribute over 22% of Ireland’s total wind energy output of ‘1244.65MW generated from 105 wind farms in 22 counties’(IWEA), thus highlighting their importance in meeting Ireland’s EU obligations in tackling Climate Change and reducing carbon emissions. As one interviewee has stated ‘…what happens in Cork/Kerry is pretty much representative of what happens in the country at large’ and therefore warrants attention if we are to understand how onshore wind farms will develop into the future within a broader, all-island context.
This research seeks to understand the processes which influence the successful, or otherwise, completion of onshore wind farms in counties Cork and Kerry, and how these actions in turn feed back into the policy processes of government with regards to renewable energies. At present, Cork and Kerry contribute over 22% of Ireland’s total wind energy output of ‘1244.65MW generated from 105 wind farms in 22 counties’(IWEA), thus highlighting their importance in meeting Ireland’s EU obligations in tackling Climate Change and reducing carbon emissions. As one interviewee has stated ‘…what happens in Cork/Kerry is pretty much representative of what happens in the country at large’ and therefore warrants attention if we are to understand how onshore wind farms will develop into the future within a broader, all-island context.
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Renewable energy technologies are increasingly advocated as posing a viable means of tackling climate change and reducing our current over-reliance on fossil fuels. At present, wind energy is recognised as the only technology that can... more
Renewable energy technologies are increasingly advocated as posing a viable means of tackling climate change and reducing our current over-reliance on fossil fuels. At present, wind energy is recognised as the only technology that can make a meaningful contribution in the short-to-medium term. Despite this need for a radical technological shift in the way we produce electricity many onshore wind farms have proven to be controversial to local people, residing in the rural/upland areas where a majority of the turbines are sited.
Using Ecological Modernisation Theory as a framework within which to understand the processes which influence the successful, or otherwise, completion of onshore wind farms in counties Cork and Kerry, this presentation will also look at how these actions in turn feed back into the policy processes of national government. At present, Cork and Kerry contribute over 22% of Ireland’s total wind energy output, thus highlighting their importance in meeting Ireland’s EU obligations in tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions. As one industry commentator has stated ‘…what happens in Cork/Kerry is pretty much representative of what happens in the country at large’ and therefore warrants attention if we are to understand how onshore wind farms will continue to be developed into the future within a broader, all-island context.
Using Ecological Modernisation Theory as a framework within which to understand the processes which influence the successful, or otherwise, completion of onshore wind farms in counties Cork and Kerry, this presentation will also look at how these actions in turn feed back into the policy processes of national government. At present, Cork and Kerry contribute over 22% of Ireland’s total wind energy output, thus highlighting their importance in meeting Ireland’s EU obligations in tackling climate change and reducing carbon emissions. As one industry commentator has stated ‘…what happens in Cork/Kerry is pretty much representative of what happens in the country at large’ and therefore warrants attention if we are to understand how onshore wind farms will continue to be developed into the future within a broader, all-island context.
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Sounds give us a representation of the world around us every bit as vivid and evocative of the visual landscapes that compete for our attention.
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Breffní Lennon (2020) C. University of St. Gallen: Invited Seminars
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(2022) . Webinar: Invited Seminars
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Efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of energy have, to date, focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. In recent years, there has been an emerging consensus that changes to... more
Efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of energy have, to date, focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. In recent years, there has been an emerging consensus that changes to individual and collective practices are required as part of a transition to more sustainable methods of living and energy consumption. Behaviour, practices and culture constitute a powerful human factor in the energy system; in particular the interactions between technologies, practices and norms lock individuals into certain patterns of (often inefficient) energy use. The result has been an increasing focus on behaviour change research, particularly on the social contexts in which people live, the routines they shape, and the extent to which people feel empowered to change them. There is a growing recognition of the need to reconfigure the human dimension to the energy system – from one where people are largely consigned a rather passive ‘active consumer’ role to that of a more engaged, rights-based ‘energy citizen’ that empowers and mobilises meaningful participation in the energy transition. In order to engage individuals more meaningfully with sustainability, and to more accurately reflect the emerging, dispersed and decentralised energy system, new understanding of the concepts and practice of energy citizenship are required. This session aims to bring together papers that offer new understandings towards new forms of citizenship and practices involved with transitions to a low-carbon energy society and future.
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Efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of energy have, to date, focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. In recent years, there has been an emerging consensus that changes to... more
Efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of energy have, to date, focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. In recent years, there has been an emerging consensus that changes to individual and collective practices are required as part of a transition to more sustainable methods of living and energy consumption. Behaviour, practices and culture constitute a powerful human factor in the energy system; in particular the interactions between technologies, practices and norms lock individuals into certain patterns of (often inefficient) energy use. The result has been an increasing focus on behaviour change research, particularly on the social contexts in which people live, the routines they shape, and the extent to which people feel empowered to change them. There is a growing recognition of the need to reconfigure the human dimension to the energy system – from one where people are largely consigned a rather passive ‘active consumer’ role to that of a more engaged, rights-based ‘energy citizen’ that empowers and mobilises meaningful participation in the energy transition. In order to engage individuals more meaningfully with sustainability, and to more accurately reflect the emerging, dispersed and decentralised energy system, new understanding of the concepts and practice of energy citizenship are required. This session aims to bring together papers that offer new understandings towards new forms of citizenship and practices involved with transitions to a low-carbon energy society and future.
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For the past three decades, efforts to reduce the environmental impact of energy have focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. As the window of opportunity to address climate change... more
For the past three decades, efforts to reduce the environmental impact of energy have focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. As the window of opportunity to address climate change narrows, there is a growing consensus that changes to human actions are required as part of a transition to more sustainable methods of living and energy consumption. Behaviour, practices and culture constitute a powerful human factor in the energy system; in particular the interactions between technologies, practices and norms that lock individuals in to certain patterns of (often inefficient) energy use. The result has been an increasing focus in behaviour change research, particularly on the social contexts in which people live, the routines they shape, and the extent to which people feel empowered to change them. In line with this year’s theme of Nexus Thinking, this session brings together papers that offer new understandings of the interdependent factors that shape energy practices and how a range of stakeholders can be meaningfully engaged with transitions to a low-carbon energy society and future. These considerations expose new opportunities and challenges in the development of low-carbon transition pathways as well as the implementation of new approaches that go beyond the adoption of new technologies.
For the past three decades, efforts to reduce the environmental impact of energy have focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. As the window of opportunity to address climate change... more
For the past three decades, efforts to reduce the environmental impact of energy have focused on designing energy-efficient technologies and developing renewable sources of energy. As the window of opportunity to address climate change narrows, there is a growing consensus that changes to human actions are required as part of a transition to more sustainable methods of living and energy consumption. Behaviour, practices and culture constitute a powerful human factor in the energy system; in particular the interactions between technologies, practices and norms that lock individuals in to certain patterns of (often inefficient) energy use. The result has been an increasing focus in behaviour change research, particularly on the social contexts in which people live, the routines they shape, and the extent to which people feel empowered to change them. In line with this year’s theme of Nexus Thinking, this session brings together papers that offer new understandings of the interdependent factors that shape energy practices and how a range of stakeholders can be meaningfully engaged with transitions to a low-carbon energy society and future. These considerations expose new opportunities and challenges in the development of low-carbon transition pathways as well as the implementation of new approaches that go beyond the adoption of new technologies.
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Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until... more
Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until recently, there has been little or no citizen involvement beyond that of consumer, bounded by the supply and demand parameters of the market. However, this is changing. Citizens are increasingly encouraged to take on more diverse roles, ranging from active consumer to more participative prosumer arrangements. This shift offers what have heretofore been unlikely opportunities, particularly in terms of the democratization and diversification of how energy is produced and consumed. Two vehicles to emerge from a recent policy cycle of the European Union are Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). Both legal entities (in the EU at least) frame a diverse range of financial instruments, business models, and citizen groupings that typically comprise the new energy infrastructure projects that characterize the Energy Transition in Europe. This presentation will introduce findings from the ACCEPT H2020 project, for which the authors utilized a multi-level analysis of the intersecting governance and sociopolitical frameworks that impact CEC formation. From this, we were able to develop a typology of key drivers and obstacles motivating citizen participation in CEC and REC projects across Europe.
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Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and... more
Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and nomenclatures. Citizens are increasingly expected to actively participate in the energy domain and play their part in transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. Terms like “energy citizen” have been used to describe (the accepted forms of) this participation, typically in quite prescriptive and rather limited roles, such as active consumer and prosumer. However, as with other manifestations of citizen-consumer ideals, where the framing is presented as the embodiment of freedom, the vagueness of such terms lock citizens out of what could potentially be a transformative conceptualization for transitioning to more equitable and empowering energy experiences. This chapter will examine how under-theorized and contested concepts like the “energy citizen” are already framing our collective experience(s) of the energy transition and asks for whom is the emerging energy system designed?
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This document examines the energy-related practices that take place in six case-study communities located in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a research project exploring the... more
This document examines the energy-related practices that take place in six case-study communities located in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. This exploration is conducted as part of a research project exploring the 'human factor' in the energy system, within which a complementary study of the perceptions and attitudes towards energy technologies has also been produced. Both of these studies are taking an intersectional approach to the analysis, recognising that people have multiple, interdependent, overlapping axes of social identity – these studies focus particularly on issues of gender, socio-economic privilege and age. The purpose of the report is to move away from the dominant behaviouralist perspective – wherein people are treated as uniquely rational decision-makers – and introduce the very real social contexts through which they negotiate and understand their role within the energy system; with specific focus on their views on the energy technologies that comprise it. The underlying feelings, assumptions, associations and values held by the people who express them are very real influencing factors on the energy-related practices they engage in on a day-to- day basis. Subsequently, a report will be produced synthesising these two intersectional analyses along with a range of socio-economic, technical, market and policy analyses from the ENTRUST project. It is intended that this report will be updated over the remaining duration of the project, based on ongoing dialogue with the communities; continued reflexive analysis of the collected data; and insights from complementary outputs (not least those mentioned above) with an updated report envisaged for release in quarter one, 2018. The report is laid out into sections, with each one addressing a specific aspect of the work involved to produce this deliverable. The first part, Section 1 offers an overview of the study, exploring the background and context to the report and presenting is aims and objectives. Section 2 presents the philosop [...]
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The information presented in this deliverable summarises the outputs from three distinct strands of research carried out for the ENTRUST Horizon 2020 research project. This research is exploring the energy system from multiple... more
The information presented in this deliverable summarises the outputs from three distinct strands of research carried out for the ENTRUST Horizon 2020 research project. This research is exploring the energy system from multiple perspectives. They include the more traditional, techno-centric market approach; and public policy oriented appraisals; in addition to applying innovative engagements that capture human-centred perspectives of people experiencing the intersecting nexuses that comprise the energy system. <strong>Aim</strong> Decisions on how the energy system is transitioning to low-carbon configurations will have, and is having, very real impacts on society and how people live their lives. In order to understand these societal intersections with the material configurations of the energy system, ENTRUST has sought to identify where many of these intersections arise, how they are created and then negotiated, within a complex nexus of choices, freedoms and controls that comprise our shared relationships with energy and the structures that support it. The objective of this document is to integrate the findings arising from this research and to feed into: ongoing collaborations with the project's six case-study communities; to further explore the potential of novel energy transition pathways; and to develop content for the forthcoming Energy Communities knowledge and communication platform. The research discussed in the document was conducted for three work packages (WPs), as outlined below, and is presented here using a combined approach that draws synergies between the various strands discussed within each WP, viz., Work Package 2: Mapping of the Energy System; Work Package 3: Socio-demographic Analysis; Work Package 4: Policy Analysis. In addition to summarising these reports, the authors present the findings from each within at thematic synthesis of the issues identified across the three WPs, which are organised within following four key pillars: Technological characterisation; Business model perspectives; E [...]
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Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and... more
Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and nomenclatures. Citizens are increasingly expected to actively participate in the energy domain and play their part in transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. Terms like “energy citizen” have been used to describe (the accepted forms of) this participation, typically in quite prescriptive and rather limited roles, such as active consumer and prosumer. However, as with other manifestations of citizen-consumer ideals, where the framing is presented as the embodiment of freedom, the vagueness of such terms lock citizens out of what could potentially be a transformative conceptualization for transitioning to more equitable and empowering energy experiences. This chapter will examine how under-theorized and contested concepts like the “energy citizen” are already framing our collective experience(s) of the energy transition and asks for whom is the emerging energy system designed?
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This open letter summarises the discussions held during of the workshop “Fostering user engagement for innovative demand response for effective flexibility” celebrated during the 10th edition of the Sustainable Places 2022 conference.... more
This open letter summarises the discussions held during of the workshop “Fostering user engagement for innovative demand response for effective flexibility” celebrated during the 10th edition of the Sustainable Places 2022 conference. This event was organised in a hybrid format in Nice, France, from the 6th September to 9th September 2022, in which the sister projects iFLEX, ACCEPT, HESTIA, SENDER, and ReDREAM participated. This open letter follows the format used by the workshop held in Sustainable places 2022 (SP2022): the questions were asked by the moderator and the answers were given by sister projects’ representatives, together summarising the collaborative work performed by the five projects.
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Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and... more
Writing in the late 1980s, Jon Fiske describes reality as “always encoded [and most especially] by the codes of our culture”. The energy transition is one of the latest sets of realities that comes with its own encoded messaging and nomenclatures. Citizens are increasingly expected to actively participate in the energy domain and play their part in transitioning to low-carbon energy systems. Terms like “energy citizen” have been used to describe (the accepted forms of) this participation, typically in quite prescriptive and rather limited roles, such as active consumer and prosumer. However, as with other manifestations of citizen-consumer ideals, where the framing is presented as the embodiment of freedom, the vagueness of such terms lock citizens out of what could potentially be a transformative conceptualization for transitioning to more equitable and empowering energy experiences. This chapter will examine how under-theorized and contested concepts like the “energy citizen” are already framing our collective experience(s) of the energy transition and asks for whom is the emerging energy system designed?
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Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and... more
Given the deep, transformative, and systemic changes needed to transition to low-carbon energy configurations, the current level of socio-political discourse remains calcified around classic understandings of the role of the citizen and normative representations of participation. These are almost exclusively framed in terms of consumption behaviors and practices. This merging of citizenship and consumerism is deeply problematic on a number of levels. By narrowly defining the potential of citizens to the singular role of consumer, there is a very real risk we will not achieve the socio-technical transformations that must take place if we are to mitigate against runaway climate change. This chapter explores these issues in the context of a growing body of literature on competing for energy democracy imaginaries. Significant barriers remain, from misunderstandings of what constitutes participation to the roles and expectations placed on citizens who must contend with the growing inequalities already locked into existing democratic structures.
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This document outlines the preliminary content, and task planning for the delivery of the ENTRUST project knowledge and communication platform.
WP2 undertakes an extensive characterisation of energy system actors. Within this context, this deliverable D2.1, as part of T2.1, is essential as its objectives are to develop an energy actor-network typology and to appreciate the... more
WP2 undertakes an extensive characterisation of energy system actors. Within this context, this deliverable D2.1, as part of T2.1, is essential as its objectives are to develop an energy actor-network typology and to appreciate the complexity of the factors that can play a role in the transition towards a more sustainable energy era. The T2.1 and its 'stakeholder analysis' is aimed at informing subsequent work packages in terms of mapping the direct and indirect influences on the energy system, and the actors that comprise it. To accomplish this, an extensive data gathering exercise has been conducted to develop insights on the energy models of Ireland, UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and at the EU level. In addition, a number of key energy topics were studied in greater detail, and a range of discourses on the energy transition were mapped. An extended map for each of the six countries was produced. The extensive data gathering enabled the identification and exploration ...
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In this Deliverable, a mixed methods approach (using surveys, interviews, focus groups and workshops, as well as desktop review) is applied to gain insights into the complex understandings, expectations and feelings on energy practices,... more
In this Deliverable, a mixed methods approach (using surveys, interviews, focus groups and workshops, as well as desktop review) is applied to gain insights into the complex understandings, expectations and feelings on energy practices, the energy system, and its future. A mix of citizen and expert opinions were canvassed to identify their preferred vision and expectations for the future energy system. Based on empirical research findings, portfolios of future energy system visions were developed and subjected to review and appraisal using: a Delphi-panel-like expert review and analysis; SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of outputted visions and appraisal of Lifecycle and Cost-benefit implications. The rationale for utilising these methods was to produce a coherent synthesis of the differing data sets and the range of analytical techniques applied. Envisioning exercises, including scenario development, provide an essential foundation from which to highlig...
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This report corresponds to the last deliverable of Work Package (WP) 4, "Policy Analysis", which focuses on depicting current energy policies and regulations in six European countries (France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy and... more
This report corresponds to the last deliverable of Work Package (WP) 4, "Policy Analysis", which focuses on depicting current energy policies and regulations in six European countries (France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy and Ireland). WP4 will use the input from WP2 (energy technologies) and WP3 (socio-economic analysis) to create a best practice policy toolkit for EU Member States. As such, it will serve as a key input for three future WPs: WP6, where it will help to define innovative energy pathways; WP7, where WP4 outputs will be integrated into the energy portal; WP8, where it will help to stimulate the dialogue at the national and EU level. Steering society through a responsible energy transition is an eminently political process. To date, most of the policymaking efforts to obtain a low-carbon energy system and to reduce the environmental impact of energy consumption have focused on energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy resources. In representative democra...
The overall aim of WP4 is to use the insights gathered from WP2 (relating to energy technologies) and WP3 (regarding socio-economic analysis) to formulate a best practice policy toolkit for EU member states. As such, it will serve as a... more
The overall aim of WP4 is to use the insights gathered from WP2 (relating to energy technologies) and WP3 (regarding socio-economic analysis) to formulate a best practice policy toolkit for EU member states. As such, it will serve as a key input for WP6 to define innovative energy pathways, for WP7 to integrate this work package's outputs in the energy portal, and for WP8 to stimulate dialogue at the national and EU level. This deliverable is an output for Task 4.3 that identifies and characterises the suite of energy behaviour change initiatives across a range of European Union countries. Section 1.2 provides an overview of the aims and objectives. With reference to several case studies across Europe, this deliverable has provided insights on success factors and commonly encountered barriers to energy behaviour change initiatives. Through an evaluation of a number of identified and characterised initiatives across the UK, Ireland, Spain, France and Italy, energy behaviour chang...
The ENTRUST project aims to analyse the social dimension of the European energy system to achieve a deep understanding of the human factor. It is not possible to have a comprehensive understanding of the energy system without analysing... more
The ENTRUST project aims to analyse the social dimension of the European energy system to achieve a deep understanding of the human factor. It is not possible to have a comprehensive understanding of the energy system without analysing the policy landscape and its influence on energy consumption, and that is the main objective of the WP 4 of ENTRUST. The first task already resulted in a first deliverable, the D4.1 "Report on policy & regulation landscape", that provides an overview of the legislation related to the European energy system. As per one of the objectives of ENTRUST, to better understand the human factor in the energy system, a specific analysis focusing on the influences of the energy market and its impact on behavioural change, was added to the mapping undertaken in D4.1. This deliverable 4.3 "Review of market-driven approaches in sustainable energy policies" is the result of this action. This deliverable aims to review this type of approach in supp...
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The principal objective of the ENTRUST project is to develop an understanding of the "human factor" in the energy system in order to utilise derived knowledge to foster the transition towards a sustainable energy paradigm. To... more
The principal objective of the ENTRUST project is to develop an understanding of the "human factor" in the energy system in order to utilise derived knowledge to foster the transition towards a sustainable energy paradigm. To develop this understanding, it is necessary to assess the policy landscape that influences energy consumption, the progress of the energy transition, and the public discourse on, and engagement with the energy transition – this work forms the basis of Work Package 4. Within this WP, T4.2 entitled "Assessment of Europeanisation in national policy dialogue" operates on the premise that "Europe's energy systems are deeply integrated" assesses the extent to which this is reflected in national policy dialogues.<br> Despite all the efforts to date to shape the European project including the energy dimension, complete integration of energy infrastructures and markets has not been achieved (Auverlot et al., 2014). In order to add...
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Work Package 4 of the ENTRUST project focuses on the policy landscape of energy transitions in the European Union. This deliverable provides an up-to-date picture of the current situation concerning the policies and regulations related to... more
Work Package 4 of the ENTRUST project focuses on the policy landscape of energy transitions in the European Union. This deliverable provides an up-to-date picture of the current situation concerning the policies and regulations related to the energy system in a range of European countries. Key technological, social and market factors are scrutinised in order to understand the various energy policy frameworks in Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany. An analysis of the national dialogues in each of the member states is provided with a particular focus on the key public discourses, along with an assessment of the main barriers hindering low carbon measures, in each country. As the ENTRUST project looks at the human factor within the energy system, this deliverable seeks to identify the socio-political and economic components contributing to the political agenda on energy. The sustainable energy transition paradigm, that involves a gradual shift from convention...
This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of... more
This deliverable reports on the planning and implementation of activities designed to explore the most appropriate means of engaging stakeholders. Particular focus was placed on the building occupants and users in the three demo sites of the NewTREND project. These activities comprised the second strand of stakeholder engagements for WP6. Task 6.2 placed an emphasis on engaging with those stakeholders who are more often overlooked in more traditional stakeholder engagement processes. Traditionally, the experiences of professionals and stakeholders have invariably come to the fore, with those categorised as users/occupants having less of a voice. Therefore, Task 6.2 has tried to remedy that somewhat and focus of the user/occupier experiences. For context, the first strand of stakeholder engagement in WP6 focussed on traditional stakeholders and decision makers i.e. the professionals, designer teams and building owners, whose experiences were captured in the engagements with the Local...
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Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until... more
Notwithstanding the diversification discourses on the energy transition, the supply of energy remains substantially organized along traditional power structures, namely large-scale generation facilities and centralized grids. Until recently, there has been little or no citizen involvement beyond that of consumer, bounded by the supply and demand parameters of the market. However, this is changing. Citizens are increasingly encouraged to take on more diverse roles, ranging from active consumer to more participative prosumer arrangements. This shift offers what have heretofore been unlikely opportunities, particularly in terms of the democratization and diversification of how energy is produced and consumed. Two vehicles to emerge from a recent policy cycle of the European Union are Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). Both legal entities (in the EU at least) frame a diverse range of financial instruments, business models, and citizen groupings that typically comprise the new energy infrastructure projects that characterize the Energy Transition in Europe. This presentation will introduce findings from the ACCEPT H2020 project, for which the authors utilized a multi-level analysis of the intersecting governance and sociopolitical frameworks that impact CEC formation. From this, we were able to develop a typology of key drivers and obstacles motivating citizen participation in CEC and REC projects across Europe.