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Affaire de société, enjeu politique, objet de controverses, l'énergie est devenue depuis une quinzaine d'années un sujet de recherche de première importance pour les sociologues. Alors que les débats autour de la transition énergétique s'animent, ce livre réunit les analyses scientifiques de chercheurs issus d'horizons institutionnels différents. L'objectif est de mutualiser, en un seul ouvrage et pour la première fois, les connaissances et les approches théoriques quant à la gouvernance de l'action publique et aux pratiques sociales dans le domaine de l'énergie. L'ouvrage s'organise autour de six parties. La première est consacrée aux approches conceptuelles et théoriques. Cette partie insiste sur les changements en termes d'action publique, et les reconfigurations qu'implique le choix d'une société bas carbone. La seconde partie traite des conditions et des instruments de la gouvernance en matière de politique énergétique. La troisième partie de l'ouvrage s'intéresse aux dynamiques d'innovation, notamment des territoires en transition et des technologies émergentes. La quatrième partie est centrée sur les usages et les usagers, d'un triple point de vue, celui des conditions sociotechniques de la maîtrise de la demande, mais aussi des situations de précarité énergétique et des pratiques de certains acteurs. Les deux dernières parties proposent une focale sur l'accompagnement au changement par les nouvelles technologies « smart ».

Plus que tout autre groupe socio-professionnel, les agriculteurs sont parmi les premiers, et les plus nombreux, à avoir mis en place des énergies renouvelables (EnR) ces vingt dernières années, que ce soit individuellement ou collectivement. L’étude socio-anthropologique de communes ayant atteint une autonomie énergétique totale ou partielle en Allemagne, Autriche et France, nous montre que les agriculteurs tiennent également une place absolument centrale dans ces projets locaux, en tant qu’i...

This contribution proposes to address a central question in social science approaches to household energy studies: “how do conventions around energy services evolve, how do they alter over time, and how can they be changed once they are cemented?” (Sovacool 2014: 19). Drawing from a social practice theoretical framework, we posit that energy usage at the household level is tied up with forms of routinized and habitual activities in and across consumption domains, embedded in socio-cultural, and technical and material arrangements. We begin by proposing a definition of energy sufficiency which accounts not only for absolute reductions in resource usage, but also changes in everyday and habitual practices - which implies challenging collective conventions around energy usage in the home, as well as setting upper limits to consumption. Drawing from the ongoing ENERGISE research project (H2020), with its focus on laundry and heating, we then provide an overview of the literature on collective conventions related to these two consumption domains, noting the lack of a systematic review and easily accessible data. We follow with a review of over 1,000 initiatives aimed at reducing energy usage in the home or promoting renewables, relating these initiatives based on a typology that reflects our conceptual framework around the notion of 'sufficiency'. We discuss how and why energy consumption continues to be framed in terms of individual action and technological change, often blind-sighted to social norms and collective conventions - necessary towards achieving the normative goal of sufficiency. In a fourth section, we outline the ENERGISE Living Lab approach, designed towards setting upper limits to consumption and engaging households in a participative process towards creating ruptures in everyday routines - with an explicit focus on collective conventions. On this basis, we conclude with a discussion around the need for further developments around conspicuous and symbolic consumption, towards amplifying social change. We consider the opportunities that this represents, and how such an approach to uncovering, contesting and amplifying challenges to collective conventions can be relevant to practitioners and policy-makers alike.

This document (ENERGISE D2.5) provides an overview of national energy and supply dynamics across 30 European countries. The Deliverable encompasses reviews of the current state of the art and existing trends in national energy policies, energy systems and energy campaigns in each of the 30 countries. To enhance accessibility and engagement with the material, the information gathered is presented in 30 independent National Briefs.

This document (ENERGISE D2.5) provides an overview of national energy and supply dynamics across 30 European countries. The Deliverable encompasses reviews of the current state of the art and existing trends in national energy policies, energy systems and energy campaigns in each of the 30 countries. To enhance accessibility and engagement with the material, the information gathered is presented in 30 independent National Briefs. This format also permits follow on cross country comparison. For example, an analysis of the data presented in this comprehensive document reveals large variations across Europe in relation to final energy consumption for households (MWh/capita), shares of fuel in final residential energy consumption and residential final energy consumption by type of end-use. However, there are also interesting similarities across the continent, i.e. in energy consumption patterns for space heating. This collection of national briefs is an extremely useful resource for researchers and policy makers alike. In addition to providing an overview of the quantitative data per country, this collection delves deeper and provides relevant context and discussion which can assist when exploring how these variations and similarities occur. Specifically, the briefs provide contextual overviews of particular socio-material aspects at play in each country that may influence energy consumption levels, as well as insights into national (and in some cases regional) energy policies, including how energy consumption is understood and targeted. Finally building on from work conducted as part of Deliverables 2.1 and 2.4, this collection includes 30 case study examples, overviewing one sustainable energy consumption initiative (SECI) from each country. These in-depth examples were selected as they have been identified as cases which highlight understanding energy consumption as an outcome of everyday life dynamics and complex interactions between multiple actors, institutions and infrastructural aspects. These SECIs will provide good practice examples for those interested in firstly understanding socio-material aspects of energy consumption and subsequently incorporating these aspects into future targets and strategies.

This document (ENERGISE D2.3) provides a background report on the process and result of developing and constructing a comprehensive open access dataset of sustainable energy consumption initiatives (SECIs) that have been collected and assessed as part of Work Package 2 (WP2) in ENERGISE. The dataset is designed as a map that is intended to be a user-friendly device that provides an overview of sustainable energy consumption initiatives (SECIs) in Europe. In particular, the map shows the variety in scope, content and approach in the identified SECIs.