Assessing Social Acceptance of Geothermal Systems in Western Canada: Evidence from Alberta and British Columbia

Energy systems globally face growing pressure to decarbonize while maintaining affordability, reliability, and security. In Canada, these challenges are especially evident in Western Canada, notably Alberta and British Columbia, which have contrasting energy landscapes. Although geothermal systems are increasingly viewed as a promising low-carbon option, public perceptions remain poorly understood. This study examines the social acceptance of geoexchange, hydrothermal, and ultra-deep geothermal systems in Alberta and British Columbia using survey data from 2,603 participants. Results show low baseline familiarity with geothermal energy, but moderate acceptance across systems, with geoexchange and hydrothermal rated more positively than ultra-deep geothermal. Despite regional differences, acceptance drivers were similar across provinces. Regression analyses indicate that perceived benefits and subjective norms are the strongest predictors of acceptance, while familiarity and perceived fairness play secondary roles. These findings provide the first comparative benchmark for geothermal social acceptance in Canada.

Author dc:creator

• Gorraez Meraz, Carlos

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Das, Runa, R.

• School of environment and sustainability

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20962

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/29434