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Public preferences for five electricity grid decarbonization policies in California

Author

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  • Hilary Boudet
  • Chad Zanocco
  • Greg Stelmach
  • Mahmood Muttaqee
  • June Flora

Abstract

The climate crisis and associated push for distributed, renewable electricity generation necessitate policy changes to decarbonize and modernize the electricity grid. Some of these changes—e.g., smart meter rollouts and tax credits for solar panel adoption—have received attention in the media and from social scientists to understand public perceptions and responses. Others—e.g., allowing peer‐to‐peer electricity sales, promoting residential electrification, requiring solar panels on new development, funding microgrids, and paying customers to allow for utility control of electricity use—have received less attention. Here, we explore public perceptions of these understudied policies among California residents (n = 804), a state recognized for innovative energy policy. A majority of respondents supported only one of the policies—requiring solar panels on new development. Others elicited more indecision; few were strongly opposed. In general, male respondents and those with college degrees were more supportive of such policies, as were those more concerned about climate change and with a more open orientation to smart home technologies. 气候危机和分配式可再生电力生产的相关助力让以电网低碳化和现代化为目标的政策变革成为必要。一些变革—例如引入智能电表、因使用太阳能板而获得的税收抵免—已获得媒体和社会科学家的关注,以期理解公众感知和响应。其他变革受到的关注较少,例如允许P2P售电、推动居民电气化、要求进一步开发太阳能板、资助微电网、以及支付消费者以期控制用电量。我们探究了加利福尼亚州居民(n=804)对这些研究不足的政策的公众感知,该州拥有公认的创新能源政策。大多数受访者仅支持了其中一项政策—要求进一步开发太阳能板。其他受访者表示不确定;少部分人表示强烈反对。整体而言,男性受访者以及取得大学学历的受访者更支持这类政策,那些更关心气候变化以及对智能家庭技术持更开放态度的受访者也是如此。 La crisis climática y el impulso asociado para la generación de electricidad renovable y distribuida requieren cambios de política para descarbonizar y modernizar la red eléctrica. Algunos de estos cambios, por ejemplo, la implementación de medidores inteligentes, los créditos fiscales para la adopción de paneles solares, han recibido atención en los medios de comunicación y de los científicos sociales para comprender las percepciones y respuestas del público. Otros, por ejemplo, permitir las ventas de electricidad entre pares, promover la electrificación residencial, requerir paneles solares en nuevos desarrollos, financiar microredes y pagar a los clientes para permitir el control del uso de la electricidad por parte de los servicios públicos, han recibido menos atención. Aquí, exploramos las percepciones públicas de estas políticas poco estudiadas entre los residentes de California (n = 804), un estado reconocido por su política energética innovadora. La mayoría de los encuestados apoyó solo una de las políticas: requerir paneles solares en los nuevos desarrollos. Otros provocaron más indecisión; pocos se opusieron firmemente. En general, los hombres encuestados y aquellos con títulos universitarios apoyaron más estas políticas, al igual que aquellos más preocupados por el cambio climático y con una orientación más abierta a las tecnologías inteligentes para el hogar.

Suggested Citation

  • Hilary Boudet & Chad Zanocco & Greg Stelmach & Mahmood Muttaqee & June Flora, 2021. "Public preferences for five electricity grid decarbonization policies in California," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(5), pages 510-528, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:revpol:v:38:y:2021:i:5:p:510-528
    DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12442
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    3. Carla Cristiane Sokulski & Murillo Vetroni Barros & Rodrigo Salvador & Evandro Eduardo Broday & Antonio Carlos de Francisco, 2022. "Trends in Renewable Electricity Generation in the G20 Countries: An Analysis of the 1990–2020 Period," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-21, February.

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