Original research article
One, no one, one hundred thousand energy transitions in Europe: The quest for a cultural approach

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2015.12.019Get rights and content

Abstract

Far from being a univocal process, energy transitions involve several pathways and require research that connects multiple theoretical, disciplinary and methodological perspectives. The European scenario is a clear example of how the boundaries and the direction of such process are difficultly identifiable and merged with culturally situated meanings and practices. In this opening paper, drawing on a psychosocial background, we propose a cultural approach as an attempt to overcome the dichotomies between technical and human, social and individual accounts of energy transitions. In this framework, we illustrate the two main axes that guided this collection of research: a situated perspective, and a focus on different planes of transition (individual, community, societal). Then, we present the European scenario and introduce the contributions, which propose a large variety of epistemological perspectives, and theoretical, methodological and disciplinary integrations. We conclude with a commentary of the main challenges to be addressed in order to develop a shared scientific paradigm: the need for further integration towards shared interpretative frameworks, the quest for a constructive and future-oriented research attitude, the importance of connecting different planes of analysis to foresee alternative scenarios, and the need for proposals and solutions to be addressed to decision makers.

Section snippets

Approaches to energy transition: overcoming social and psychological dichotomies

As has been widely noted, the matter of energy transition is not only a technical problem, dealing with the challenge of producing more and more energy with better efficiency and reduced environmental impact. It is also a problem of how much energy is needed, for what purposes and how it is used. When the focus is shifted from the technical side of the problem to the human side, individual and social factors that affect human behavior and determine the forms and outcomes of innovation come to

Situating European transitions

Situated perspective, in our use of the term, refers to the need to pay special attention not only to environmental [64] and geographical [65] aspects characterising the diversity within the European scenario but also to the material, normative and historical contexts and to the interactions among the different actors.

In this special issue, the emphasis on ‘situatedness’ provides a framework for reading the interactions among the actors in the system and allows for relating the different planes

The European scenario: the regulatory situation and technological transition

Based on these premises, many different portrayals of the European energy scenario and its transitions may be rendered—technical, cultural and political.

One portrayal is provided by the European Commission's statistics. Of the many elaborations available [82], [83], we present here the profile of the EU28 countries in relation to energy consumption and to the 20-20-20 targets.

The energy mix (Fig. 2) is highly variable among countries; however, the model of energy production still appears to be

This special issue

In order to critically discuss the ongoing European energy transitions, this special issue brings together 19 papers distributed covering the three planes of focus considered (societal, community and individual). They propose emerging challenges, innovative theoretical and methodological approaches and possible solutions.

More specifically, this issue gathers the contributions of 50 authors (the majority of whom are women, N = 28) from 15 different countries, who mainly work at academic

Questions and challenges

In conclusion, the contributions collected in this special issue on energy transitions provide insights about a number of features that characterise the European scenario: dialectics and/or controversies among social actors; public stakeholder and media discourses in communicating and constructing energy citizenship; processes of community empowerment; contextual and individual elements that foster and/or hinder personal engagement in local energy transition projects; households' practices of

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Basic Research Investment Fund 2010 of the Italian Ministry for Education, University and Research (Programma Futuro in Ricerca 2010)—project ACCESI (RBFR10886R).

We would like to sincerely thank Editor-in-Chief Benjamin K. Sovacool and the Editorial Staff from Elsevier for their guidance and advice. We would also like to express our thanks to the reviewers, who set the high standards of this special issue.

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