Public Beliefs, Behaviors & Preferences about Energy

The report finds that a large majority of Marylanders favor increasing the use of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, while expressing a desire to reduce the use of coal and petroleum. While there is strong support for state mandates requiring renewable energy percentages and for financial rebates on energy-efficient appliances, there is low interest and participation in home energy audits due to cost and awareness barriers. Additionally, the survey reveals a significant gap in support for natural gas depending on whether it is extracted via hydraulic fracturing within the state.

• A large majority of Maryland residents want the state to increase its use of renewable energy for electricity generation, with solar (78%), offshore wind (69%), and land-based wind (69%) being the most favored sources. Support for solar and wind increased between 2013 and 2014.
• Maryland residents express a desire to reduce the use of petroleum (52%) and coal (50%) for electrical energy generation. In the central region, residents are more likely to prefer less coal (54%) compared to other regions.
• There is a notable discrepancy in preferences for natural gas based on the extraction method; while 49% of residents want more natural gas used generally, only 28% support this if the gas is obtained through hydraulic fracturing (fracking) within Maryland.

APA

Akerlof, K., Maibach, E. W., & Boules, C. (2014). Public Beliefs, Behaviors & Preferences about Energy. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2014-Public-Beliefs-Behaviors-Preferences-about-Energy.pdf

Chicago

Akerlof, Karen, Edward W. Maibach, and C. Boules. Public Beliefs, Behaviors & Preferences about Energy. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2014. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2014-Public-Beliefs-Behaviors-Preferences-about-Energy.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Akerlof |first1=Karen |last2=Maibach |first2=Edward W. |last3=Boules |first3=C. |title=Public Beliefs, Behaviors & Preferences about Energy |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=2014 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2014-Public-Beliefs-Behaviors-Preferences-about-Energy.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{akerlof2014public, author = {Akerlof, Karen and Maibach, Edward W. and Boules, C.}, title = {{Public Beliefs, Behaviors \& Preferences about Energy}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2014}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2014-Public-Beliefs-Behaviors-Preferences-about-Energy.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }