Watt’s the Risk?: Public Understanding of Battery Usage and Storage in the United States

Given the increasing reliance on batteries for everyday technology and large-scale energy solutions, particularly in climate change mitigation, understanding public perceptions of battery usage and storage is crucial. Using an experimental survey, the study examines the role of affect, trust in science, and risk/benefit perceptions in shaping public acceptance of batteries, both for personal use and as a climate change mitigation tool. Post-hoc tests, hierarchical regressions, and Free Word Association Tests were used in the analyses. Results indicate that positive affect and trust in science are key predictors of battery acceptance across both use cases. Importantly, acceptance did not differ by condition, and the experimental condition (household vs. climate) did not moderate the effect of ideology, suggesting that battery technologies may be perceived as inherently linked to environmental issues, regardless of how they are framed. The study highlights the need for targeted communication strategies that balance the promotion of battery technology with transparency about its risks to improve public understanding and support for battery innovations.