A report based on survey conducted by storage provider Powin says education needed to support future projects.
Given a choice, most people would prefer new renewable energy projects to new fossil-fuel generation sources. This is the finding of a survey conducted by energy storage systems provider Powin.
The company included responses from 1,000 American consumers 18 years of age or older in its survey.
Among the findings: Two-thirds of respondents said they would prefer that their electricity provider build more solar projects supported by storage to meet increasing demand rather than new natural gas (38%) or coal (13%) plants.
In addition, the survey found that 48% of respondents had confidence that solar-plus-storage facilities were capable of meeting future electricity demands. Only 25% did not think so.
At the same time, the survey suggested that Americans were undereducated about their own energy requirements and future needs. Only 38% of respondents knew how much electricity their residences consumed.
“While nearly half of respondents (44%) claim their residence does not need more energy today than five years ago, the lack of knowledge around overall consumption suggests that the average consumer is not actually aware of how their usage has changed,” the report said.
The report claims that this disconnect is especially troubling because public support is going to be needed for new energy infrastructure projects going forward. Powin cites a number of factors contributing to greater electricity demand in the near future, including new data centers driven by proliferating artificial intelligence needs, electric vehicles and residential electrification.
The penetration of utility-scale energy storage, seen as a key technology for expanding intermittent sources such as solar and wind, is tied closely with state-support. The Powin report points to a number of states that are leading efforts to implement storage through targets and mandates. New York is at the top of the list with a target of 6,000 MW of grid-connected storage capacity by 2030.
Powin’s survey is designed to highlight public support for renewable energy solutions to increasing energy demand as well as the need for consumers to become more knowledgeable about future energy requirements and the potential costs involved.
“Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial for gaining public support for the necessary changes and ensuring a smooth transition to a more sustainable and reliable energy future,” the report concludes.
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