Understanding public preferences for energy efficiency policies in building and agricultural sectors in the western US: Values, knowledge, and identity

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of energy efficiency as the ‘first fuel,’ seen as one of the most promising approaches for achieving climate change mitigation goals and enhancing energy security without compromising economic well-being. However, meeting the standards of the IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario demands a more thorough exploitation of economically viable energy efficiency potentials. The United States has a huge energy efficiency potential to cost-effectively reduce its electricity use, but utilizing this potential requires proactive policymaking. Recent studies suggest that state policymaking increasingly responds to mass policy preferences, gradually shaping policy changes despite existing barriers. This underscores the importance of investigating public energy preferences. Given that energy preferences of the US citizens are significantly polarized due to ideological and identity-driven beliefs about the existence and severity of climate change, understanding these preferences becomes even more vital. While there is plenty of literature on the merits and challenges of energy efficiency as well as on public preferences for various energy policies, there remains a noticeable research gap in the understanding of the public's specific preferences for energy efficiency policies especially in the American West. This study addresses this gap through a survey of 1804 randomly selected respondents across California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It broadens the scope beyond political ideology to explore how environmental values, social identities, and policy literacy are associated with public support for energy efficiency policies in building and agricultural sectors.