Electricity consumers in regional Australia: social acceptance of coal-fired power and renewable energy

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy-related attitudes of consumers and explore the factors associated with social acceptance of renewable energy. Methods: Findings are based on a quantitative survey of 325 respondents from regional Australia. Frequency distributions, cross tabulations and non-parametric tests were performed. Findings: Overall, respondents agree that climate change is occurring, that it is human-induced and that society has a responsibility to act. Surprisingly, respondents who are pro-coal generation show strong support for renewable energy, despite being undecided on the climate change issue and not perceiving a connection between electricity usage in the home and climate change. Respondents who are anti-coal generation show low support for all fossil fuels, despite the fact that they will continue to underpin the energy system for some time to come. The research found that demographic variables, notably gender and education, along with political affiliation, are associated with varying levels of support for particular energy technologies. Conclusion: Research on consumer attitudes towards energy sources is crucial if Australia is to make a transition to a low-carbon electricity market