1
CHAPTER 1
An Introduction to Energy Demand
Challenges in Europe
Frances Fahy and Gary Goggins
Abstract This opening chapter calls for greater attention to energy
demand challenges in Europe. It argues that many obstacles and opportunities in achieving the so-called energy transition are social and cultural
in nature and require interdisciplinary solutions that go beyond efficiency
approaches. We provide an overview of the ENERGISE project that aims
to achieve greater understanding of the social and cultural influences on
household energy use, and to develop appropriate responses and recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and future academic research.
The chapter concludes with a brief summary of the structure of this
book, including an introductory overview of how energy demand challenges are understood, and how this relates to the types of solutions that
are proposed in each of the ten European countries studied.
© The Author(s) 2019
F. Fahy et al. (eds.), Energy Demand Challenges in Europe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20339-9_1
F. Fahy (*) · G. Goggins
School of Geography and Archaeology and Ryan Institute,
National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
e-mail: frances.fahy@nuigalway.ie
G. Goggins
e-mail: gary.goggins@nuigalway.ie
CHAPTER 1
An Introduction to Energy Demand
Challenges in Europe
Frances Fahy and Gary Goggins
Abstract This opening chapter calls for greater attention to energy
demand challenges in Europe. It argues that many obstacles and opportunities in achieving the so-called energy transition are social and cultural
in nature and require interdisciplinary solutions that go beyond efficiency
approaches. We provide an overview of the ENERGISE project that aims
to achieve greater understanding of the social and cultural influences on
household energy use, and to develop appropriate responses and recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and future academic research.
The chapter concludes with a brief summary of the structure of this
book, including an introductory overview of how energy demand challenges are understood, and how this relates to the types of solutions that
are proposed in each of the ten European countries studied.
© The Author(s) 2019
F. Fahy et al. (eds.), Energy Demand Challenges in Europe,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20339-9_1
F. Fahy (*) · G. Goggins
School of Geography and Archaeology and Ryan Institute,
National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
e-mail: frances.fahy@nuigalway.ie
G. Goggins
e-mail: gary.goggins@nuigalway.ie