In this article, we draw on theorizing about how people navigate risk and uncertainty in contemporary times to explain public perceptions of a range of energy technologies. In doing so, we critique existing literature that has focused on the concepts NIMBY (‘Not In My BackYard’) and technological acceptance. We use data collected from Canada to examine people's comfort levels with energy technologies generally as well as within proximity to their homes. Drawing on surveys with residents of the provinces of British Columbia and New Brunswick, we asked participants about their comfort levels with energy technologies related to coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear, hydro-electric dams, wind, and solar. We utilize our findings to provide a more nuanced understanding of why people are less comfortable with energy technologies being placed in close proximity to their homes in comparison to their comfort levels with these technologies more generally. We demonstrate that enhancing understandings of how people grapple with risk and uncertainty related to energy technologies can aid in our transition to a less carbon-intensive energy future.

在本文中，我们利用关于当代人们如何驾驭风险和不确定性的理论来解释公众对一系列能源技术的看法。在这样做的过程中，我们批评了现有的文献，这些文献侧重于 NIMBY（“不在我的后院”）和技术接受度的概念。我们使用从加拿大收集的数据来检查人们对能源技术的总体舒适度以及在家附近的舒适度。根据对不列颠哥伦比亚省和新不伦瑞克省居民的调查，我们向参与者询问了他们对与煤炭、天然气、石油、核能、水电大坝、风能和太阳能相关的能源技术的舒适度。我们利用我们的研究结果来更细致地理解为什么人们对放置在离家很近的能源技术而不是更普遍地使用这些技术的舒适度感到不那么舒服。我们证明，加深对人们如何应对与能源技术相关的风险和不确定性的理解有助于我们向碳密集度较低的能源未来过渡。