Breffní Lennon
I am a senior researcher at the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit, a multidisciplinary research group of the Environmental Research Institute and the School of Engineering and Architecture at University College Cork. A human geographer, my research focuses on the social, environmental, and economic challenges of the energy transition. I am particularly interested in expressions of political power across all spatial scales, especially contested ideas of citizenship as they relate to energy. I carry out engaged research, contributing to a multidisciplinary programme comprising resource geographies, energy justice, climate change, landscape ecology, community, governance, agency, and identity.
ORCID: 0000-0002-9957-5765
Research Interests:
My research focuses on the theme of society, sustainability and energy, and is situated at the intersection of the social sciences with science and engineering. I am particularly interested in cultural ecologies of place and the intersections of human-environment interactions. I carry out engaged research, contributing to a multidisciplinary programme comprising: resource geographies; energy; climate change; community; governance; landscape; agency; and identity.
Recent activities include:
Co-Principal Investigator: ACCEPT (H2020, 2021-24), lead a package of work focused on consumer engagement, which involves: design and setting up of ‘living labs’; mapping consumer behaviour on energy; analysing governance and socio-political contexts; and mapping community stakeholders at the project demo sites.
Co-Investigator: EUB SuperHub (H2020, 2021-24) aims to support the evolvement of the certification process in the EU by development of a scalable methodology. In this project, I contribute to the work package focused on stakeholder characterisation & engagement.
Co-Investigator: ENCLUDE (H2020, 2021-24) aimed to operationalise the energy citizenship concept at all scales of policy-making, and in so doing, catalyse a chain reaction of decarbonization actions across the EU. In this project, I contribute to a work package which is characterising and conceptualising individual and collective expressions of energy citizenship.
Co-Principal Investigator: EnergyMeasures (H2020, 2020-24) Developed and implemented the project's work programme, assisting energy poor households by providing small energy measures and support for energy-related behaviour change. The project approach took into account the physical nature of housing units and is reflective of the lived experience of the household members.
Contributor: X-ROTOR (H2020, 2021-24), which developed a highly innovative wind turbine design to directly target cost of energy reduction and scalability of wind turbines.
Contributor: REALISE (H2020, 2020-24), which examined the societal readiness of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) and social acceptability of its potential deployment. My work focused on education and public engagement; societal impact assessment & social acceptability; analysis of the socio-political context; and public outreach activities.
Other work:
Management Committee Member: RethinkBlue, the CA2122 'Rethinking the Blue Economy: Socio-ecological impacts and opportunities', the EU CostAction researcher network. This Action is to rethink the Blue Economy, in two ways. First, by assessing its impact on coastal societies, and second, by exploring opportunities deriving from innovations and potential synergies between established and emergent marine activities.
Contributor: Gender & Energy Task 'Empowering all: Gender in policy and implementation for achieving transitions to sustainable energy', organised by International Energy Agency (IEA) and coordinated in Ireland through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
Contributor: ENGAGER, the CA16232 'European Energy Poverty: Agenda Co-Creation and Knowledge Innovation energy poverty', the EU CostAction researcher network [2017-2022].
Address: Environmental Research Institute
University College Cork
Lee Road, Cork
T23 XE10, Ireland
ORCID: 0000-0002-9957-5765
Research Interests:
My research focuses on the theme of society, sustainability and energy, and is situated at the intersection of the social sciences with science and engineering. I am particularly interested in cultural ecologies of place and the intersections of human-environment interactions. I carry out engaged research, contributing to a multidisciplinary programme comprising: resource geographies; energy; climate change; community; governance; landscape; agency; and identity.
Recent activities include:
Co-Principal Investigator: ACCEPT (H2020, 2021-24), lead a package of work focused on consumer engagement, which involves: design and setting up of ‘living labs’; mapping consumer behaviour on energy; analysing governance and socio-political contexts; and mapping community stakeholders at the project demo sites.
Co-Investigator: EUB SuperHub (H2020, 2021-24) aims to support the evolvement of the certification process in the EU by development of a scalable methodology. In this project, I contribute to the work package focused on stakeholder characterisation & engagement.
Co-Investigator: ENCLUDE (H2020, 2021-24) aimed to operationalise the energy citizenship concept at all scales of policy-making, and in so doing, catalyse a chain reaction of decarbonization actions across the EU. In this project, I contribute to a work package which is characterising and conceptualising individual and collective expressions of energy citizenship.
Co-Principal Investigator: EnergyMeasures (H2020, 2020-24) Developed and implemented the project's work programme, assisting energy poor households by providing small energy measures and support for energy-related behaviour change. The project approach took into account the physical nature of housing units and is reflective of the lived experience of the household members.
Contributor: X-ROTOR (H2020, 2021-24), which developed a highly innovative wind turbine design to directly target cost of energy reduction and scalability of wind turbines.
Contributor: REALISE (H2020, 2020-24), which examined the societal readiness of carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) and social acceptability of its potential deployment. My work focused on education and public engagement; societal impact assessment & social acceptability; analysis of the socio-political context; and public outreach activities.
Other work:
Management Committee Member: RethinkBlue, the CA2122 'Rethinking the Blue Economy: Socio-ecological impacts and opportunities', the EU CostAction researcher network. This Action is to rethink the Blue Economy, in two ways. First, by assessing its impact on coastal societies, and second, by exploring opportunities deriving from innovations and potential synergies between established and emergent marine activities.
Contributor: Gender & Energy Task 'Empowering all: Gender in policy and implementation for achieving transitions to sustainable energy', organised by International Energy Agency (IEA) and coordinated in Ireland through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
Contributor: ENGAGER, the CA16232 'European Energy Poverty: Agenda Co-Creation and Knowledge Innovation energy poverty', the EU CostAction researcher network [2017-2022].
Address: Environmental Research Institute
University College Cork
Lee Road, Cork
T23 XE10, Ireland
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Books by Breffní Lennon
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Conference Proceedings by Breffní Lennon
Published Reports by Breffní Lennon
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
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
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 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.
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.