Affective Drivers to Social Acceptance of Geothermal Energy

To limit global climate change and its impacts, it is essential to transition towards more sustainable methods of energy use and supply. This transition is highly dependent on social acceptance of the population. Past research has shown that the public is in general favorable to renewables, but the siting of some energy projects faces intense oppositions. Geothermal energy is an important element of many future European electricity mix scenarios. Besides biomass, hydro dams, and wave plants, geothermal can provide a baseload of energy. Further, it plays a crucial role in decarbonizing the heat sector. While social acceptance of the technology received little attention compared to wind or solar power, this has changed in recent years after setbacks in early flagship deep geothermal projects. The later had to be stopped, partially due to induced seismic activity. After the failure of these projects, the strength of public support for deep geothermal energy is questionable. Further, studies have shown that the fear of the public may have spread to other types of geothermal projects, such as shallow ones, where the risk of earthquakes is significantly lower. The public thus seems to confuse shallow geothermal energy with deep geothermal energy, which can lead to resistance to some projects based on possible confusion. Past studies have shown that knowledge about geothermal energy is relatively low among the population and that the later has not yet formed strong feelings about it. Previous literature has also highlighted that relatively uninformed individuals may have initial feelings that are difficult to change. Therefore, communication campaigns to inform individuals about a project will have more impact if conducted before individuals develop strong feelings about geothermal energy. In this context, the current study aims to identify the feelings of the Swiss population towards geothermal energy and the origins of these feelings. We intend on answering this overall research question by analyzing (1) the affective imagery elicited by this technology within the population (2) whether affective imagery varies according to the level of familiarity or experience with geothermal energy, (3) how the images elicited and the acceptance differ based on the type of geothermal projects (shallow vs. deep). To do so, we will conduct two surveys. The first will use a representative sample of the Swiss population, while the second will focus on populations of two Swiss cantons: St.Gallen and Geneva. The second survey will allow us to measure the possible impact of an early flagship project conducted in the canton of St.Gallen. The results of this study can be of interest to both policymakers and energy suppliers to anticipate the concerns of the population and take them into account in their communication strategies. They may use them to design communication strategies that minimize negative reactions or reinforce positive ones to different types of geothermal projects. This study is also an essential step towards managing the social dynamics of emotions around the implementation of energy projects and will, therefore, potentially help to reduce the investment risk resulting from delayed or failed projects.