![Gareth Thomas](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3067?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
My research focuses on issues surrounding the social acceptability of low carbon energy transitions, energy and infrastructure in everyday life, and the role of the role of place, cultural meaning and emotion in shaping sociotechnical decisions. I have particular expertise in deindustrialization, energy justice, and relational approaches to consuption and infrastructure acceptability. A (predominantly) qualitative researcher by training, I specialise in affectively engaging modes of public deliberation, on and offline ethnography, and biographical interviewing.
I talk to people about energy. Then write about it.
Publication
2024
- Shirani, F., Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2024. Going backwards? A temporal perspective of what constitutes improvement in domestic heating transitions. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 20(1), article number: 2347075. (10.1080/15487733.2024.2347075)
- Roberts, E., Groves, C., Thomas, G., Shirani, F., Cherry, C., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2024. Attuning to ambiguous atmospheres: currents of air, discourse and time in a steel town. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 49(3), article number: e12631. (10.1111/tran.12631)
- Thomas, G. H., Flower, J., Gross, R., Henwood, K., Shirani, F., Spiers, J. and Pidgeon, N. 2024. A relational approach to characterizing householder perceptions of disruption in heat transitions. Nature Energy 9, pp. 570-576. (10.1038/s41560-024-01506-w)
- Thomas, G. 2024. Public backs move to green home heating but more government support is needed, research shows. [Online]. The Conversation: The Conversation Trust. Available at: https://theconversation.com/public-backs-move-to-green-home-heating-but-more-government-support-is-needed-research-shows-228634
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Thomas, G., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Pidgeon, N. 2024. Where is ‘the local’ in localization? Exploring socio-technical and spatial visions of energy system decarbonization in South Wales. Energy Research and Social Science 107, article number: 103330. (10.1016/j.erss.2023.103330)
- Thomas, G. and Henwood, K. 2024. HI-ACT synthesis report: Interpreting and deliberating hydrogen visions. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://hi-act.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Synthesis-report-deliberation-expert-and-public-visions-2.pdf
2023
- Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2023. Hydrogen, a less disruptive pathway for domestic heat? Exploratory findings from public perceptions research. Cleaner Production Letters 5, article number: 100047. (10.1016/j.clpl.2023.100047)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Thomas, G. 2023. Putting visions in their place: Responsible research and innovation for energy system decarbonization. Journal of Responsible Innovation 10(1), article number: 2149954. (10.1080/23299460.2022.2149954)
2022
- Thomas, G., Cherry, C., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N. and Roberts, E. 2022. “It’s not a very certain future”: Emotion and infrastructure change in an industrial town. Geoforum 132, pp. 81-91. (10.1016/j.geoforum.2022.04.003)
- Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Groves, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2022. A personas-based approach to deliberating local decarbonisation scenarios: findings and methodological insights. Energy Research and Social Science 87, article number: 102455. (10.1016/j.erss.2021.102455)
2021
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Thomas, G. 2021. The future is flexible? Exploring expert visions of energy system decarbonisation. Futures 130, article number: 102753. (10.1016/j.futures.2021.102753)
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Roberts, E., Thomas, G., Cherry, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2021. ‘Who cares about valley people?’ – lived experiences of energy vulnerability in the South Wales valleys. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice 29(1), pp. 103-120. (10.1332/175982720X16074511160827)
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Roberts, E. and Thomas, G. 2021. Mine water heating in Caerau: Thoughts from local residents. 2020 Report. Project Report. FLEXIS.
- Pidgeon, N., Groves, C., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Shirani, F. and Henwood, K. 2021. ‘A little self-sufficient town close to the beach’: local energy system transformation through the lens of place and public things. In: Webb, J., Wade, F. and Tingey, M. eds. Research Handbook on Energy and Society. Edward Elgar, pp. 299-316.
- Groves, C., Shirani, F., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Roberts, E. and Henwood, K. 2021. A missing link? Capabilities, the ethics of care, and the relational context of energy justice. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities 22(2), pp. 249-269. (10.1080/19452829.2021.1887105)
2020
- Groves, C., Shirani, F., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Roberts, E. and Henwood, K. 2020. ‘The bills are a brick wall’: narratives of energy vulnerability, poverty and adaptation in South Wales. Energy Research and Social Science 70, article number: 101777. (10.1016/j.erss.2020.101777)
- Thomas, G., Demski, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2020. Energy justice discourses in citizen deliberations on systems flexibility in the United Kingdom: Vulnerability, compensation and empowerment. Energy Research and Social Science 66, article number: 101494. (10.1016/j.erss.2020.101494)
2019
- Thomas, G., Demski, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Deliberating the social acceptability of energy storage in the UK. Energy Policy 133, article number: 110908. (10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110908)
- Demski, C., Thomas, G., Becker, S., Evensen, D. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Acceptance of energy transitions and policies: Public conceptualisations of energy as a need and basic right in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science 48, pp. 33-45. (10.1016/j.erss.2018.09.018)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Shirani, F., Cherry, C. and Thomas, G. 2019. Better energy futures: Developing a framework for addressing fuel poverty poverty. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
2018
- Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Roberts, E. 2018. Ambivalence, naturalness and normality in public perceptions of carbon capture and storage in biomass, fossil energy, and industrial applications in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science 46, pp. 1-9. (10.1016/j.erss.2018.06.007)
- Cox, E., Pidgeon, N., Spence, E. and Thomas, G. 2018. Blurred lines: the ethics and policy of Greenhouse Gas Removal at scale. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6, article number: 38. (10.3389/fenvs.2018.00038)
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2018. UK smart living demonstrator (better energy futures) – research report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
2017
- Thomas, G., Groves, C., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2017. Texturing waste: attachment and identity in every-day consumption and waste practices. Environmental Values 26(6), pp. 733-755., article number: 23. (10.3197/096327117X15046905490362)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Shirani, F., Thomas, G. and Pidgeon, N. 2017. Why mundane energy use matters: Energy biographies, attachment and identity. Energy Research and Social Science 30, pp. 71-81. (10.1016/j.erss.2017.06.016)
2016
- Thomas, G. 2016. Constructing the hydrogen and fuel cell community: a case study of networked innovation governance. PhD Thesis, University of Birmingham.
Articles
- Shirani, F., Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2024. Going backwards? A temporal perspective of what constitutes improvement in domestic heating transitions. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy 20(1), article number: 2347075. (10.1080/15487733.2024.2347075)
- Roberts, E., Groves, C., Thomas, G., Shirani, F., Cherry, C., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2024. Attuning to ambiguous atmospheres: currents of air, discourse and time in a steel town. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 49(3), article number: e12631. (10.1111/tran.12631)
- Thomas, G. H., Flower, J., Gross, R., Henwood, K., Shirani, F., Spiers, J. and Pidgeon, N. 2024. A relational approach to characterizing householder perceptions of disruption in heat transitions. Nature Energy 9, pp. 570-576. (10.1038/s41560-024-01506-w)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Thomas, G., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Pidgeon, N. 2024. Where is ‘the local’ in localization? Exploring socio-technical and spatial visions of energy system decarbonization in South Wales. Energy Research and Social Science 107, article number: 103330. (10.1016/j.erss.2023.103330)
- Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Henwood, K. 2023. Hydrogen, a less disruptive pathway for domestic heat? Exploratory findings from public perceptions research. Cleaner Production Letters 5, article number: 100047. (10.1016/j.clpl.2023.100047)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Thomas, G. 2023. Putting visions in their place: Responsible research and innovation for energy system decarbonization. Journal of Responsible Innovation 10(1), article number: 2149954. (10.1080/23299460.2022.2149954)
- Thomas, G., Cherry, C., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N. and Roberts, E. 2022. “It’s not a very certain future”: Emotion and infrastructure change in an industrial town. Geoforum 132, pp. 81-91. (10.1016/j.geoforum.2022.04.003)
- Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Groves, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2022. A personas-based approach to deliberating local decarbonisation scenarios: findings and methodological insights. Energy Research and Social Science 87, article number: 102455. (10.1016/j.erss.2021.102455)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Roberts, E., Shirani, F. and Thomas, G. 2021. The future is flexible? Exploring expert visions of energy system decarbonisation. Futures 130, article number: 102753. (10.1016/j.futures.2021.102753)
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Roberts, E., Thomas, G., Cherry, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2021. ‘Who cares about valley people?’ – lived experiences of energy vulnerability in the South Wales valleys. Journal of Poverty and Social Justice 29(1), pp. 103-120. (10.1332/175982720X16074511160827)
- Groves, C., Shirani, F., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Roberts, E. and Henwood, K. 2021. A missing link? Capabilities, the ethics of care, and the relational context of energy justice. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities 22(2), pp. 249-269. (10.1080/19452829.2021.1887105)
- Groves, C., Shirani, F., Pidgeon, N., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Roberts, E. and Henwood, K. 2020. ‘The bills are a brick wall’: narratives of energy vulnerability, poverty and adaptation in South Wales. Energy Research and Social Science 70, article number: 101777. (10.1016/j.erss.2020.101777)
- Thomas, G., Demski, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2020. Energy justice discourses in citizen deliberations on systems flexibility in the United Kingdom: Vulnerability, compensation and empowerment. Energy Research and Social Science 66, article number: 101494. (10.1016/j.erss.2020.101494)
- Thomas, G., Demski, C. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Deliberating the social acceptability of energy storage in the UK. Energy Policy 133, article number: 110908. (10.1016/j.enpol.2019.110908)
- Demski, C., Thomas, G., Becker, S., Evensen, D. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Acceptance of energy transitions and policies: Public conceptualisations of energy as a need and basic right in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science 48, pp. 33-45. (10.1016/j.erss.2018.09.018)
- Thomas, G., Pidgeon, N. and Roberts, E. 2018. Ambivalence, naturalness and normality in public perceptions of carbon capture and storage in biomass, fossil energy, and industrial applications in the United Kingdom. Energy Research and Social Science 46, pp. 1-9. (10.1016/j.erss.2018.06.007)
- Cox, E., Pidgeon, N., Spence, E. and Thomas, G. 2018. Blurred lines: the ethics and policy of Greenhouse Gas Removal at scale. Frontiers in Environmental Science 6, article number: 38. (10.3389/fenvs.2018.00038)
- Thomas, G., Groves, C., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2017. Texturing waste: attachment and identity in every-day consumption and waste practices. Environmental Values 26(6), pp. 733-755., article number: 23. (10.3197/096327117X15046905490362)
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Shirani, F., Thomas, G. and Pidgeon, N. 2017. Why mundane energy use matters: Energy biographies, attachment and identity. Energy Research and Social Science 30, pp. 71-81. (10.1016/j.erss.2017.06.016)
Book sections
- Pidgeon, N., Groves, C., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Shirani, F. and Henwood, K. 2021. ‘A little self-sufficient town close to the beach’: local energy system transformation through the lens of place and public things. In: Webb, J., Wade, F. and Tingey, M. eds. Research Handbook on Energy and Society. Edward Elgar, pp. 299-316.
Monographs
- Thomas, G. and Henwood, K. 2024. HI-ACT synthesis report: Interpreting and deliberating hydrogen visions. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://hi-act.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Synthesis-report-deliberation-expert-and-public-visions-2.pdf
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Roberts, E. and Thomas, G. 2021. Mine water heating in Caerau: Thoughts from local residents. 2020 Report. Project Report. FLEXIS.
- Groves, C., Henwood, K., Pidgeon, N., Shirani, F., Cherry, C. and Thomas, G. 2019. Better energy futures: Developing a framework for addressing fuel poverty poverty. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Shirani, F., Groves, C., Cherry, C., Thomas, G., Henwood, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2018. UK smart living demonstrator (better energy futures) – research report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
Thesis
- Thomas, G. 2016. Constructing the hydrogen and fuel cell community: a case study of networked innovation governance. PhD Thesis, University of Birmingham.
Websites
- Thomas, G. 2024. Public backs move to green home heating but more government support is needed, research shows. [Online]. The Conversation: The Conversation Trust. Available at: https://theconversation.com/public-backs-move-to-green-home-heating-but-more-government-support-is-needed-research-shows-228634
Research
Research topics
I am currently a member of the School of Psychology's Understanding Risk Group, working on the EPSRC funded project HIACT: Hydrogen Integration for Accelerated Energy Transitions.
Previous projects include:
NUEPA- Network Upgrade, Engineering and Public Acceptability which focussed on the in home and infrastructural disruptions associated with heat decarbonisation in the UK.
FLEXIS- community engagement around place based decarbonisation strategies in Port Talbot, South Wales
RESTLESS- Realising Energy Storage at Technologies in Low Carbon Energy Systems- citizen deliberations on a variety of energy storage technologies accross the UK
CO2 Injection and Storage- short and long term behaviour at different spatial scales- examining local perceptions of carbon capture and storage technologies for use in electricity, bioenergy and industrial applications.
Energy Biographies- analytic work examining how psycho-social experiences of practices and interdependency texture subjects constructions of waste in everyday life.
Biography
Postgraduate education
PhD, School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham (EPSRC funded)
