Public support for mobile community microgrids: Socioeconomic, perceptual and outage experience determinants of energy resilience

As climate-induced disasters increasingly compromise electric grid reliability, mobile community microgrids (MCMs) have emerged as a promising strategy to strengthen local energy resilience. This study examines the socioeconomic and perceptual determinants of public MCM acceptance using a nationally representative survey of 1,996 U.S. residents. Hierarchical regression results indicate that the desire for improved power reliability is the strongest predictor of acceptance, followed by expectations of faster disaster response and lower energy costs. Power outage experience is also a significant driver of support, with stronger effects among men and respondents who face frequent disruptions. Although political ideology appears influential in baseline models, its association attenuates after accounting for economic conditions. Preferences for deployment locations further diverge by outage experience: respondents with frequent outages prioritize residential and disadvantaged communities, whereas those with fewer disruptions place greater emphasis on critical infrastructure. These findings highlight the need for MCM deployment strategies that are responsive to heterogeneous community perceptions and place-based resilience priorities.