Jeanne Spillane
PhD Student
University College Cork; MaREI
Jeanne Spillane is a PhD student with the Department of Sociology, and MaREI, the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine at University College Cork, Ireland, as well as being part of the “Energy Resilience in the Built Environment” (ERBE) Centre for Doctoral Training. Her PhD project is exploring key questions around who is benefiting from the rollout of solar in Ireland and whether certain people or groups are being left behind. Prior to starting her PhD, Jeanne worked as a policy officer with the Scottish Government where she led on the Scottish Government’s flagship domestic energy advice service. She has an MSc in International Development and an MPhil in International Peace Studies. Jeanne has previously worked with the United Nations World Food Programme in Asia and on the Sustainable Development Goal negotiations in New York.
Solar Rollout in Ireland: Revolution or reinforcing existing social inequity?
As the rollout of renewables continues to accelerate in Ireland and Europe, driven by government and EU policy, key questions remain to be addressed around who is benefiting and whether some people or groups are being left behind. This project seeks to explore some of the existing research around energy justice, energy poverty, solar PV and how each of these is applicable to the context of Ireland and to create a body of evidence which can help inform government policy towards being appropriately targeted and adequately measured to ensure equitable access.