A conceptual framework for understanding the social acceptance of energy infrastructure: insights from energy storage

Although social acceptance research has blossomed over the last decade, interdisciplinary studies combining market, socio-political and community aspects are scarce. We propose a novel integration of social science theory in which the belief systems or social representations held by key actors play a crucial role in fostering acceptance of novel technologies, and where a polycentric perspective places particular emphasis on ways that middle actors mediate processes of change between scales. We advance a methodological approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research methods and exemplify the framework by focusing on acceptance of renewable energy storage solutions to accommodate high levels of renewable energy deployment. A research agenda for the social acceptance of energy storage is proposed that sets out key research questions relating international, national and local levels. The outcome of such studies would not only lead to enhanced understanding of processes of social acceptance, but deliver important insights for policy and practice

Powering the deregulation of electricity : the (re)organization of space and scale through neoliberal regulations

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Energy as a weapon of war: Lessons from 50 years of energy interdependence

The Organization of the Petroleum-Exporting Countries (OPEC) used oil as a weapon against Western countries supporting Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. From 2021, Russia used a similar strategy of restricting gas flows to Europe, while Europe later reduced Russia's market access. In these cases, there was economic and political damage. These examples show that energy is a weapon used to pressure sovereign states. Energy is a multidimensional resource that reflects broader ties within the political-economic system of international relations. This comparative study identifies four components that enable energy as a weapon: interdependence, energy security, neoliberal economics and sovereignty. Four key policy lessons emerge to improve energy security: (1) determine the acceptable limits of energy dependence, (2) acknowledge institutions and markets cannot deliver energy security outside their design parameters, (3) energy security requires addressing the entire value chain, and (4) energy is a weapon that threatens state sovereignty. The collapse of the gas trade between Russia and the EU creates instability and removes the pillar of interdependency; this now ushers in a new era

A lakossági energiafelhasználás csökkentése a humán fejlettség megtartásával: a középosztály előtt álló kihívások = The challenge of reducing residential energy use and maintaining the human development for the middle class

A Fit for 55 intézkedéscsomag a kibocsátáskereskedelmi rendszer kibővítését és az energiaadóirányelv reformját írja elő, ami az energiaárak emelkedését vetíti előre. A csomag a lakossági energiafelhasználás csökkentését, illetve a 2030-as energia- és klímacélok teljesítését hivatott biztosítani. Tanulmányunk arra a kérdésre keresi a választ, hogy megvalósítható-e ez az Európai Unió minden tagállamában a humán fejlettség1 kockáztatása nélkül. A vizsgált időhorizont 2000–2020. A Gini-együttható, a Hoover-index és a rangkorrelációs együtthatók segítségével megvizsgáljuk a lakossági energiafelhasználás tagállamok közötti különbségeit, majd ezen változó, illetve a humán fejlettség közötti közvetlen és közvetett kapcsolatot elemezzük útmodellel. Eredményeink szerint szignifikáns, de időben csökkenő mértékű területi különbségek figyelhetők meg a háztartási energiafelhasználás tekintetében a vizsgált országok és országcsoportok között. Az útelemzés fontos összefüggésre világít rá: a lakossági energiafelhasználás nemcsak közvetetten, más társadalmigazdasági-környezeti változókon keresztül, hanem közvetlenül (és függetlenül) szignifikáns hatást gyakorol a humán fejlettségre. Vagyis amíg nem következik be a 2 mutató szétválása, addig 7 tagállamban a háztartásoknak növelniük kell az energiafogyasztásukat ahhoz, hogy a humán fejlettség elért szintjét ne csak megőrizni, de emelni is tudják, és megvalósuljon a társadalmi és gazdasági konvergencia az Európai Unióban. = Fit for 55 calls for an expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme and a reform of the Energy Tax Directive that will lead to higher energy prices. The goal is to reduce household energy consumption and achieve the 2030 energy and climate targets. Our study attempts to answer the question of whether this can be achieved without jeopardizing human development in all EU member states. We use the Gini coefficient, Hoover index, and rank correlation coefficients to examine differences in household energy consumption across Member States, and a path model to analyze the direct and indirect relationship between these variables and human development. Our results show significant, but decreasing over time, spatial differences in household energy consumption among the countries and country groups studied. The path analysis reveals an important link: household energy use has a significant direct (and independent) impact on human development, not only indirectly through other socio-economic-environmental variables. In other words, until the two indicators are decoupled, households in seven Member States will have to increase their energy consumption in order not only to maintain but also to raise the level of human development achieved and to achieve social and economic convergence in the European Union

Not Fit for 55: Prioritizing Human Well-Being in Residential Energy Consumption in the European Union

An analysis of the 27 European Union (EU) member states over the years 2000–2018 examines the relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being, measured by the Human Development Index (HDI). The EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ policy package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions may derail post-communist member states’ convergence (PCMS) to the same level of well-being of households in old member states (OMS). The aim of this article is to assess both the direct and indirect relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being. The findings indicate a direct connection in addition to the indirect effect between them. Therefore, reducing or leveling off residential energy consumption in PCMS will prevent human development convergence within the EU. The findings indicate the lack of convergence, because of the ‘Fit for 55’ policy package assumption of a decline of residential energy consumption in all member states could stagnate or lower HDI in PCMS and prevent policy implementation

Not Fit for 55: Prioritizing Human Well-Being in Residential Energy Consumption in the European Union

An analysis of the 27 European Union (EU) member states over the years 2000–2018 examines the relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being, measured by the Human Development Index (HDI). The EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ policy package to reduce greenhouse gas emissions may derail post-communist member states’ convergence (PCMS) to the same level of well-being of households in old member states (OMS). The aim of this article is to assess both the direct and indirect relationship between residential energy use per capita and human well-being. The findings indicate a direct connection in addition to the indirect effect between them. Therefore, reducing or leveling off residential energy consumption in PCMS will prevent human development convergence within the EU. The findings indicate the lack of convergence, because of the ‘Fit for 55’ policy package assumption of a decline of residential energy consumption in all member states could stagnate or lower HDI in PCMS and prevent policy implementation