HOW TO SELL THAT ENERGY IDEA

Some might say this research proves NewEnergyNews is weakened by its eschewal of specialization. But refusal to specialize is the very purpose of NewEnergyNews and this research validates that purpose. This research says that if you only think about one New Energy, you will only think about and come to understand that one New Energy but if you think about all the New Energies, you will necessarily compare and contrast, understand how they work together and how they don't.

To paraphrase a recent observation, our energy crisis is not going to be solved by a silver bulllet because it is not an energy crisis. It is an energy opportunity and it will be solved by silver buckshot, many different New Energies rising to the challenges simultaneously.

Context Affects Opinion About Novel Energy Sources
July 22, 2007 (Science Daily via Eindhoven University of Technology press release)

WHO
Dutch researcher Wouter van den Hoogen
Like a Net. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Doctoral research as part of 'Biomass as a sustainable energy source: environmental load, cost-effectiveness and public acceptance' financed by the NWO/SenterNovem Stimulation programme Energy research to develop knowledge in the natural sciences and humanities for the transition to sustainable energy supplies.

WHEN
Findings just released.

WHERE
van den Hoogen’s conclusions apply specifically to the Dutch energy market.

WHY
7 experiments with biomass revealed that opinions on New Energy are formed with limited knowledge, inadequate interest and little time. Context determines outcome. Multiple New Energies are zero-summed:
- A weak basic attitude to biomass when assessing it = sensitive to subtleties of biomass
- A weak basic attitude to biomass + mention of another energy when assessing it = less sensitive to subtleties of biomass, more to biomass and the other energy
- More positive to biomass if solar is mentioned
- Less positive to biomass if coal is mentioned
- Value biomass less if compared to solar
- Value biomass more if compared to coal
Level the playing field: Emitters pay the true cost of emissions and everybody gets equal subsidies, equal incentives. Then see what the market chooses. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- “A context effect occurs if a person’s opinion about new technologies depends on subtle differences in the context in which the technology is introduced.”
- “Sustainable energy options must therefore be promoted in the right context…”