Perspectives - Nuclear Energy 2035
My role
Desk research
User interview
Q/A survey
UX Design
Client
Enefit - Energy Company
Timeline
2023 Nov - Dec
Problem
Enefit, a leading energy company from Estonia, faces the challenge of transitioning to sustainable energy production in line with Europe's goal to become carbon neutral by 2035. Many people in this demographic hold deep-seated doubts about nuclear energy, influenced by historic incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. Moreover, misconceptions persist that green energy sources, like wind and solar, might lack reliability, be cost-prohibitive, or involve greenwashing. This skepticism complicates efforts to shift public opinion toward sustainable energy solutions, creating a barrier to achieving the company’s and the continent’s carbon neutrality goals.
Solution
To address this scepticism, a strategy was developed that focuses on interactive, data-driven education about the energy trilemma—balancing energy security, environmental sustainability, and equity. This solution presents complex energy choices and their trade-offs in an engaging and understandable format. By visualizing how different energy sources, including nuclear, wind, solar, and oil shale, impact factors such as CO₂ emissions, energy generation, and electricity prices, the tool helps individuals explore the broader implications of their choices. This approach aims to empower users to make more informed decisions that reflect their values and priorities, fostering a more informed public discourse and reducing scepticism around sustainable energy solutions.
Impact
The solution has the potential to significantly shift public perception by making the decision-making process around energy consumption more transparent and accessible. Breaking down complex energy trade-offs encourages a more nuanced understanding of how different energy sources contribute to the overall sustainability goals. This approach could help mitigate concerns about reliability and cost, while also addressing fears of greenwashing, by clearly presenting the benefits and challenges of each energy option. Ultimately, this could lead to greater acceptance and adoption of renewable energy solutions, aiding Enefit and Estonia in meeting their carbon neutrality targets and contributing to a greener future for Europe.
User research/interviews
During our interviews with representatives of Enefit, they told us that most of their users were 60+ years old. So your target audience became people who will be 50-60 years old by the year 2035. During our interviews, people had a lot of interesting opinions about being green and renewable energy. One of the themes that caught my attention was scepticism.
“Data visualization is key”
"Making the choice should be simple"
“If I'm hungry I won't care about how green I am”
“Promoting green solutions came to feel like a greenwashing”