Toward a method for the rapid collection of public concerns and benefits of emerging energy technologies

Abstract

The speed and scale with which new technologies emerge sometimes force decision makers to act without the benefit of thorough risk analyses and environmental and social impact analyses. Insights from interested and affected parties (IAPs) can be tapped to alert decision makers to expected risks and benefits associated with emerging technologies. One of the methodological challenges has been to identify IAPs with relevant knowledge of the emerging technology. Here we show how Facebook’s marketing tool can be employed to reach IAPs with experience and knowledge in a new energy technology and recruit them to a survey instrument. We demonstrate the approach in the context of hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas in the United States. A $200 1-week Facebook ad produced a diverse sample of 379 IAPs from 36 states that identified 41 benefits and 80 risks. This knowledge can be used to steer the direction of analyses for impact assessments. Comparison to a similar study showed a surprising number of differences, suggesting that larger samples are needed.