The durable, bipartisan effects of emphasizing the cost savings of renewable energy

Effective communication can help increase bipartisan support for renewable energy. Prior research suggests that support for renewable energy may be determined, in part, by which of its benefits are emphasized. Here we use a three-stage, longitudinal experiment (N = 2,891) to compare the immediate and over-time effects of three informational frames of renewable energy's benefits (cost savings, economy boost and global warming mitigation). We tested each message's effects on US Democrats' and Republicans' beliefs about and support for renewable energy, and we compared the longevity of these effects over a period of three weeks. We find that cost savings was the most effective frame-both in terms of immediate effect size on beliefs and in the longevity of those effects-with negligible differences between political groups. The durability of all effects exhibited a consistent pattern: an initial steep drop in effect size followed by a plateau. Communication is an important tool in combating climate change and building support for new energy policy. Here Gustafson et al. measure the longitudinal effect of three message frames around the benefits of renewable energy on Democrat and Republican beliefs and support for such technology in the United States.

Automated summary

This study compares the immediate and long-term effects of three informational frames of renewable energy's benefits on Democrat and Republican beliefs and support for renewable energy. Cost savings is found to be the most effective frame, with negligible differences between political groups in terms of its effects.