New report – public attitudes & perceptions in relation to the use of hydrogen generators at festivals.
SURVEY KEY FINDINGS 1: STRONG SUPPORT FOR HYDROGEN GENERATORS
Survey (see appendices) respondents initial attitudes towards using Hydrogen to generate electricity were primarily neutral (42.10%), with 34.70% somewhat supportive and 21.10% strongly supportive. The remaining 2.20% were either somewhat or strongly opposed.
However, after being informed of the pros and cons of replacing incumbent diesel generators with Hydrogen counterparts, 71.33% of participants strongly or somewhat supported the deployment of Hydrogen generators in the UK.
This contrasted with 1.48% who strongly opposed deployment and 2.67% who were somewhat opposed. The remaining 25.52% were neutral.
Information provided strongly influences respondents perceptions of Hydrogen and Hydrogen generators; with some evidence to suggest that communicating balanced technological information positively impacts opinion:
- Prior to receiving an information pamphlet (see appendices) from the research team outlining the pros and cons of replacing incumbent diesel generators with Hydrogen counterparts, the top 10 most common responses to the word “Hydrogen” were largely neutral. However, after information dissemination, the top 10 most common responses included more words with positive and negative connotations
- These positive and negative associations reflected the pros and cons contained within the information pamphlet. Specifically, post information dissemination, survey participants acknowledge the positive environmental impact of Hydrogen and Hydrogen generators more. Conversely however, survey participants also acknowledge technological negatives including the potential higher cost of emerging technology and the flammability of Hydrogen as a gas (neither of which were raised by survey participants before receiving an information pamphlet).
Concerning trust in organisations to communicate true and accurate information about energy technologies, 93.48% of participants stated that they strongly or somewhat trusted academic or research intuitions.
Meanwhile, 40.74% stated strong or somewhat support for Scottish Government, 38.21% for energy industry corporations and 22.54% for UK Government.
Closely related, when thinking about trust in organisations’ commitment to achieving a more sustainable future, 92.47% of participants stated that they strongly or somewhat trusted academic or research intuitions in this regard.
Meanwhile, 41.17% stated strong or somewhat support for Scottish Government, 42.67% for energy industry corporations and 28.87% for UK Government.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, those who are more distrustful of the health and environmental benefits associated with Hydrogen generators are statistically significantly less supportive of deployment, whilst as concern for global climate change and local environmental issues increases, support for Hydrogen generators in the UK also increases.
Pre-existing knowledge of varying Hydrogen production methods was extremely limited support for grey Hydrogen was low with no participants suggesting this was their preferential production method.
Support for blue Hydrogen was also low with no participants suggesting this was their preferential production method. Several participants specifically expressed concerns regarding Carbon Capture and Storage technology.
Support for green Hydrogen was very high with the majority of participants suggesting that this was their preferential Hydrogen production method.
Investigation sought to gain insight into whether or not audience members attitudes and perceptions are influenced by the Hydrogen production ownership model, i.e. does the identity of the actors that operate and ultimately profit from the production and sale of Hydrogen influence audience members attitudes and perceptions.
Community-led was by far the most supported ownership model. The return of revenue to local communities was an influential factor promoting support. Some concerns still existed regarding the practicalities of delivery. However, concerns decreased when participants were informed that community-led
Hydrogen production already exists, as opposed to being purely conceptual
Industry-led ownership models were supported by a minority of participants. For most of these participants, the reason for this support was more to do with the perceived practicalities of delivery, rather than a normative or ideological pro-industry stance.
With regards to municipal ownership, a minority of participants suggested that they liked the idea in theory, but had reservations about how this may materialise in practice. Whilst some participants suggested that they were tentatively in favour, a handful objected to the model outright.
To begin with, most participants expressed concern about any additional costs that may result from displacing diesel generators with Hydrogen counterparts at festivals and outdoor events. However, some suggested that they would be willing to pay a little more (~5-10%), even if they were not particularly happy about it.
Thanks for staying up to date with Hydrogen Central. After taking more time to consider this theme and discuss it with one another, opinion within groups shifted somewhat with an increase in the overall number of participants who suggested that they would be willing to pay a little more . Nevertheless, it should be noted that the majority of those participants who suggested that they would be willing to pay a little extra were, by and large, unimpressed with the notion.
Thinking about support as part of a wider value proposition (i.e. trying to take money out of the equation), all 25 participants expressed support for the displacement of incumbent diesel generators with Hydrogen powered counterparts.
This could be interpreted as suggesting that an important factor limiting support for Hydrogen generators in festival/ outdoor event contexts is the potential price increase implications associated with new technology implementation.
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PUBLIC ATTITUDES & PERCEPTIONS IN RELATION TO THE USE OF HYDROGEN GENERATORS AT FESTIVALS, April 2022
