Understanding motivations for decarbonizing the energy system in Indiana

Decarbonizing the energy system is necessary to address climate change, yet the transition to low-carbon energy resources has been slow, and climate change continues to be a politically polarizing issue in the United States. Past research has shown that people want a future energy mix that is decarbonized, but disagree on the policies to get there (Miniard et al., 2020). How do residents of Indiana, a historically Republican state which primarily relies on fossil fuel resources, think about the current and future energy mix and energy policy at the state level? Here we present the results of a mixed methods study in which Indiana residents (N = 48) were surveyed and interviewed about the motivations and perceptions driving their preferences for the energy sources and their support or opposition to state and federal energy policies. We find that a majority of participants want a decarbonized state energy mix in 2050 that primarily relies on solar and wind and decreases the use of fossil fuels. Participants were driven by themes of protecting the environment and air quality, reducing pollution, protecting public health, improving the economy, and using energy resources that are low-cost and available. Climate change was not a strong motivating factor, and only referenced by Democrats and Independents in our sample. Thus, participants have nuanced reasons for wanting to decarbonize the Indiana energy system, depending on the energy source and policy, which may not be necessarily tied to climate change or reaching a sustainable energy future.