Five years ago, NEF launched an unprecedented national initiative called the National Energy Literacy Survey. Fast forward to the 2022-23 school year, and NEF has again partnered with Cicero Social Impact, a prominent market research firm, to survey high school students across the country to measure their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to energy. The second survey also measured changes that have happened in the five years.

Energy Survey Targets High School Seniors

What do these young citizens think about energy issues? What have they been taught about consumption? How will they balance the economic and environmental impacts of energy production and use?

NEF primarily targeted high school seniors for the survey because of their pivotal age. These students are transitioning into young adulthood and taking on greater responsibility for energy consumption and voting choices. High school seniors are also at the end of their K-12 experience. How have the sometimes turbulent past five years impacted the energy knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of this young group of Americans?

The results of the survey provide some compelling answers and potential storylines. But the most significant conclusion is this: In many ways, the past five years have taken their toll on high school students’ energy literacy, and many gaps and misconceptions about energy still exist. There is still much work to do.

National Energy Literacy Survey Resources

2022 Survey Results

• Official White Paper – 2022 National Energy Literacy Survey
• Slide Deck – 2022 National Energy Literacy Survey
• Questionnaire – 2022 National Energy Literacy Survey

2017 Survey Results

• • Official White Paper – 2017 National Energy Literacy Survey
  • Slide Deck – 2017 National Energy Literacy Survey
  • Questionnaire – National Energy Literacy Survey
  • Curriculum Correlations for the survey questionnaire
  • National Energy Literacy Poster
  • High School Student Data Series – a look at the results of 10 survey questions on the NEF Blog
  • Spring 2018 InterNEF: National Energy Literacy Survey – an issue of our industry publication dedicated to the survey findings