A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy

Blumer, Yann; Braunreiter, Lukas; Kachi, Aya; Lordan-Perret, Rebecca; Oeri, Fintan

doi:10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy
Authors:	Blumer, Yann Braunreiter, Lukas Kachi, Aya Lordan-Perret, Rebecca Oeri, Fintan
DOI:	10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024
Published in:	Energy Research & Social Science
Volume(Issue):	43
Page(s):	109
Pages to:	118
Issue Date:	2018
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Elsevier
ISSN:	2214-6296 2214-6326
Language:	English
Subjects:	Hydropower; Public acceptance; Energy transition
Subject (DDC):	333.79: Energy
Abstract:	Energy system transitions in democracies require that national interests and central planning are reconciled with the public’s preferences. This pilot study investigates public support for the Swiss national energy strategy and two specific technologies that are part of it: expansion of hydropower and deep geothermal energy. It addresses two research questions. First, how does public support for a national energy transition differ from public support for specific technologies endorsed in an energy transition strategy? Second, are there differences in the factors influencing public support for these technologies? We investigate these questions empirically with a survey (N=640), focusing on understanding the role lay-people’s expectations about the future energy system, political ideology, and future orientation play in generating support for these two levels of public support and for two technologies with different characteristics. We find that while support for an energy transition is well explained by above factors, this is true to a much lesser extent for technology support. One conclusion is that support for an energy transition and for energy technologies is politicized to varying degrees, which is why their acceptability may be less shaped by their objective characteristics, but rather by subjective perceptions and beliefs the public holds towards them.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/16630
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Management and Law
Appears in collections:	Publikationen School of Management and Law

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Blumer, Y., Braunreiter, L., Kachi, A., Lordan-Perret, R., & Oeri, F. (2018). A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy. Energy Research & Social Science, 43, 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024

Blumer, Y. et al. (2018) ‘A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy’, Energy Research & Social Science, 43, pp. 109–118. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024.

Y. Blumer, L. Braunreiter, A. Kachi, R. Lordan-Perret, and F. Oeri, “A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy,” Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 43, pp. 109–118, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024.

BLUMER, Yann, Lukas BRAUNREITER, Aya KACHI, Rebecca LORDAN-PERRET und Fintan OERI, 2018. A two-level analysis of public support : exploring the role of beliefs in opinions about the Swiss energy strategy. Energy Research & Social Science. 2018. Bd. 43, S. 109–118. DOI 10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024

Blumer, Yann, Lukas Braunreiter, Aya Kachi, Rebecca Lordan-Perret, and Fintan Oeri. 2018. “A Two-Level Analysis of Public Support : Exploring the Role of Beliefs in Opinions About the Swiss Energy Strategy.” Energy Research & Social Science 43: 109–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024.

Blumer, Yann, et al. “A Two-Level Analysis of Public Support : Exploring the Role of Beliefs in Opinions About the Swiss Energy Strategy.” Energy Research & Social Science, vol. 43, 2018, pp. 109–18, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2018.05.024.