Energy use varies by application, but humans are cognitively challenged to make quick calculations about how much energy is being used by any given activity and what kinds of resources supply our energy system. Research on perceptions of energy use has shown that misperceptions are rampant at both the micro and macro scale, ranging from appliance-level misestimations of energy use to system-wide misunderstandings of where energy comes from and how the bulk of it is used. In this project we explored how participants estimate energy use and the energy mix of the United States, methods to correct misperceptions, and motivations for decarbonizing our energy system. We collected data from novices and energy experts using quantitative data via closed ended online and paper surveys and qualitative data via open-ended face-to-face interviews. Some of our research highlights are as follows:

(1) We tested two different scalable interventions to improve energy perceptions- providing numerical information and providing an explicit heuristic ("large appliances that heat and cool use more energy than we think"). We find that both interventions improve energy perceptions and that the heuristic improved judgments about energy conservation.

(2) We created an energy heuristic library by interviewing 30 energy experts (electrical engineers, energy consultants, and physicists) to improve energy perceptions and understanding.

(3) We find that there is bipartisan support for a decarbonized energy future across liberal and conservative participants. Although there is a shared vision for decarbonization in 2050, there are partisan differences regarding the policy pathways for getting there.

(4) By surveying and interviewing Indiana residents, we find that most participants want a decarbonized state energy mix in 2050 that primarily relies on solar and wind and decreases the use of fossil fuels. Support for decarbonization is driven by themes of protecting the environment and public health, reducing pollution, improving the economy, using low cost and available resources, and holding polluters accountable. We find that climate change is not a strong motivating factor for this sample. In contrast, opposition to decarbonization is driven by economic and employment concerns, fear, lack of familiarity, doubting the feasibility of renewable sources, and concerns about fairness.

Our work has several broader impacts for how we can correct misperceptions of energy use and identifying motivating factors that promote decarbonization. By creating a library of expert energy heuristics, we can start replacing less effective heuristics for energy conservation (such as "turning off the lights") with more effective ones ("replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs"). We have also identified scalable interventions using heuristics to effectively correct misperceptions about energy use. This work has been shared with a variety of different audiences such as the American Museum of Natural History, Rotary club chapters in Indiana, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Indiana Academy of Sciences, and many others. Many of our research papers have also received media attention from outlets like the Washington Post, New York Times, and Forbes.

Last Modified: 03/16/2022
Modified by: Shahzeen Attari