Session: 17-01: Poster Presentations

Paper Number: 168506

168506 - Survey Design to Enable Analysis of Social Factors Limiting the Expansion of Renewable Energy Technologies 

Abstract: 

Expanding renewable energy production worldwide is critical to address the urgent climate change crisis. However, societal factors which impact the feasibility and implementation of renewable energy installations are often overlooked. By design of a series of surveys targeted at college students, recent graduates, high school students, and community members, we aim to examine these societal factors and the resulting barriers to the growth of the renewables sector, with a focus on concentrated solar power (CSP). To develop effective pathways towards overcoming these barriers, an understanding of the underlying societal beliefs that support them is essential. 

One critical component of expanding renewable energy production is the availability of a well-trained and specialized workforce. Traditional engineering education is dominated by an entrenched and self-fulfilling fossil fuel-focused curriculum, which relies on textbooks that present long-established technologies and use them for example problems. This ‘carbon lock-in’ limits the number of students who learn about renewable energy technologies, leading directly to a deficiency in qualified early career renewable energy professionals. The design of the survey explores which educational factors lead to the decision whether or not to pursue renewable-focused education through our collegiate, recent graduate, and high school surveys. Through this approach, we target identifying critical times to influence the future careers of individuals as well as gaps in the current educational framework.

The survey design is structured in four primary sections with an additional section for gathering demographic information of participants. The Education section asks about participants' previous opportunities and interest to learn about renewable energy technologies. Questions include  “at what educational level were you first introduced to solar technologies?” The CSP Knowledge section begins by asking participants to rate their knowledge of how CSP plants function. If any knowledge is indicated, four questions regarding the operation of CSP plants are asked to verify the self perceived knowledge level, among other questions regarding the participants knowledge of renewable energy technologies.

The Behavior section asks questions including “Which of these do you consider when determining the temperature of your home?” This portion of the survey not only serves to gather information on the participants current actions, but also to prompt the participants to consider their actions. Finally, the Beliefs portion assesses broader beliefs regarding the implementation of CSP and other renewable energy technologies including “Do you believe increased investment in concentrated solar power will be beneficial economically?” and “Is renewable energy socially accepted as important in your community?” To assess potential priming effects, some participants will receive the Behavior and Beliefs sections before the Education and Knowledge sections.

Moreover, often as a consequence of these educational gaps, the analysis of building renewable energy facilities, especially in historically underserved communities, often proceeds without adequately addressing the concerns of local residents. Focusing on the Sunnyside neighborhood of Houston, Texas, we seek to find the links between beliefs regarding renewable energy technologies, especially CSP, and the understanding of the functioning of these technologies. Location of small-scale CSP on brownfields, if implemented properly, holds great promise to benefit underserved communities. Socially vulnerable groups disproportionately live around brownfields, for a variety of historical socio-economic reasons. Concentrated solar plants could boost the local economy, reduce carbon and particulate emissions from the remaining industrial facilities, and offset the incursion of more harmful industries.  Understanding the factors that lead to positive community perception of renewable energy development will allow for the creation of more effective community engagement initiatives as a part of the development of a techno-socio-economic pathway for implementation of small-scale CSP in urban brownfields. 

Presenting Author: Gretchen Schulke Rice University

Presenting Author Biography: Gretchen Schulke is a senior at Rice University studying Mechanical Engineering. Her research centers around the development of techno-socio-economic pathways towards implementation of small-scale CSP in urban brownfields. Outside of academics Gretchen is the IVP of Rice Society of Women Engineers.