Citizen priorities among energy transition objectives and support for energy generation technologies

The transformation of energy systems requires decisions and public support across multiple levels, from broad energy transition goals to the implementation of local projects. Existing studies link support to environmental beliefs or political ideology, yet often treat technologies in coarse categories or rely on single-issue measures. This study addresses this gap by examining how individuals’ priorities among energy transition objectives and ideological orientations jointly structure acceptance of different energy generation technologies. Using data from a 2024 survey experiment conducted in Switzerland, respondents completed structured pairwise comparisons between key objectives of the energy transition: biodiversity, emissions, land use, electricity imports and savings, and price. These comparisons were used to derive individual priorities. Together with measures of political ideology, these priorities are linked to technology-specific acceptance ratings in a Bayesian hierarchical model that accounts for repeated evaluations within individuals. The results show that technology acceptance is shaped by multiple, partially independent belief-based trade-off dimensions rather than a single renewable-fossil divide. Even technologies commonly grouped together, such as renewable energy sources, are associated with distinct constellations of priorities. Moreover, political ideology explains additional variation beyond belief-based trade-offs, indicating technology-specific ideological divisions. These findings highlight the multidimensional nature of technology acceptance and underscore the importance of considering both belief-based preferences and political ideology when assessing public support for energy generation technologies. • Priorities among energy transition objectives are measured through explicit trade-off judgments using AHP. • Political ideology explains technology acceptance beyond transition priorities. • Different energy generation technologies are judged based on different belief-based priorities. • Acceptance reflects belief-based priority trade-offs, not simple technology categories. • Ideological divisions vary across technologies, reflecting distinct political meanings.