In an interconnected energy system, it is important to understand the impacts of events and policy decisions across the whole of the energy transition. In this presentation, we discuss our research on ‘perception spillover’ from the public controversy over fracking for unconventional oil and gas. We present multiple lines of evidence showing that fracking negatively impacted people’s perceptions of enhanced geothermal systems. We explore the different ways in which perception spillover can occur, depending on different ways of seeking and receiving information. We also discuss what we can learn for other novel energy technologies, including other forms of geothermal, hydrogen, and CO2 storage.