Gauging citizen preferences for the emerging energy-technology of nuclear microreactors

Abstract

Nuclear microreactors (NMRs) are an emerging energy innovation designed for small-scale and transportable energy production. The long-range development of NMRs must account not only for technical functionality but also for social acceptance. Drawing on principles from technology assessment, this study advocates for including citizen survey research in the front end of new-product development (NPD) for nuclear microreactors when fielding a commercially viable version of an NMR remains “over the horizon” and years away. Citizen input gathered through discrete-choice methods, such as those used in this study, can reveal how trade-offs in cost to citizens, safety, employment, waste handling, and environmental impacts influence public support for NMRs. Such knowledge of citizen preferences can powerfully inform developers of technologies, such as NMRs, on how to make changes in these new technologies so that NMRs align with citizen preferences and thereby increase the social acceptability of NMRs. In the current study, citizens in Wyoming and Alaska gave the most importance to NMRs that can reduce their electric utility bills and minimize the storage and transportation of nuclear waste. Researchers used the importance weights for the dimensions used in the study to derive four segments of citizens using clustering analysis: 1) skeptics, 2) nuclear supporters, 3) nuclear waste concerned, and 4) jobs-focused. For policymakers, the results of the segmentation analysis suggest that those supporting NMRs in the development process account for 53 percent of the sample, while those opposed to or concerned about nuclear waste and its transportation account for 47 percent—comparable percentages.