Disaster experience, stress, and public support for renewable energy and grid technologies

• In Event: Lightning Session: Housing, Community Development, and Urban Policy

Abstract

Experience with major natural disasters could affect public perception of system resilience and clean energy technologies. This study aims to quantify the effect of disaster experience on public support for clean energy technologies by examining how disaster-induced stress mediates individual perceptions of renewable energy and grid technologies. This study uses the 2020 Midwest Derecho as the focal event, which was the most expensive thunderstorm in US history and caused over $11 billion in damage. The Derecho hit 57 of the 99 counties in Iowa, serving as a natural experiment for this study. We collected a random sample of 814 respondents using a survey instrument to better understand their Derecho experiences, as well as stress induced immediately after the disaster and long-term stress (three years post-disaster). To quantify the impact of disaster experiences, structural equation modeling (SEM) combined with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to analyze the latent variables and evaluate effect paths. SEM results revealed that disaster exposure had predominantly non-significant or even significantly negative direct effects on clean energy support, with positive support driven primarily through psychological stress pathways. Acute stress universally promoted support for both renewables and grid technologies. Conversely, chronic stress significantly mediated support only among severely impacted residents. These findings reveal the post-disaster period as a crucial window for promoting clean energy technologies like community micro-grids and energy storage, highlighting the need for targeted, trauma-informed policymaking.

Authors

• Yunhui Zhang, Iowa State University
  Presenting Author

• Yu Wang, Iowa State University
  Non-Presenting Co-Author