Understanding motivations for decarbonizing the energy system in Indiana

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Project Citation:

Miniard, Deidra. Understanding motivations for decarbonizing the energy system in Indiana. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2020-09-24. https://doi.org/10.3886/E122561V1

Project Description

Summary: Decarbonizing the energy system is necessary to address climate change, yet the transition to low-carbon energy resources has been slow, and climate change continues to be a politically polarizing issue in the United States. Past research has shown that people want a future energy mix that is decarbonized, but disagree on the policies to get there (Miniard et al., 2020). How do residents of Indiana, a historically Republican state which primarily relies on fossil fuel resources, think about the current and future energy mix and energy policy at the state level? Here we present the results of a mixed methods study in which Indiana residents (N = 48) were surveyed and interviewed about the motivations and perceptions driving their preferences for the energy sources and their support or opposition to state and federal energy policies. We find that a majority of participants want a decarbonized state energy mix in 2050 that primarily relies on solar and wind and decreases the use of fossil fuels. Participants were driven by themes of protecting the environment and air quality, reducing pollution, protecting public health, improving the economy, and using energy resources that are low-cost and available. Climate change was not a strong motivating factor, and only referenced by Democrats and Independents in our sample. Thus, participants have nuanced reasons for wanting to decarbonize the Indiana energy system, depending on the energy source and policy, which may not be necessarily tied to climate change or reaching a sustainable energy future.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms: energy transition; renewable energy; energy policy; political polarization

Geographic Coverage: Indiana, United States

Time Period(s): 5/2019 – 8/2019

Collection Date(s): 5/2019 – 8/2019

Data Type(s): survey data

Collection Notes: Individuals were eligible to participate if they were over the age of 18, were currently living in the state of Indiana, and had lived in the state of Indiana for at least the last three years. Participants (N = 48) were recruited at 15 libraries, one church, one festival, and one shopping center. Participants were paid $10 in cash after the interview for their participation.

Methodology

Sampling:

Participation was limited to individuals over the age of 18 who were currently living in the state of Indiana and had lived in the state for at least the last three years.

Collection Mode(s): face-to-face interview; on-site questionnaire

Unit(s) of Observation: Individuals

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Published Versions

V1 [2020-09-24]

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