Differences in attitudes towards a local hydrogen fuel station before and after implementation

Symposium Title: Energy Transition: Risks, Uncertainties and Societal Values. Hydrogen is a fuel that can potentially replace the current fossil fuels in transport. If produced sustainably, this may lead to a reduction in air... [ view full abstract ]

Symposium Title: Energy Transition: Risks, Uncertainties and Societal Values.

Hydrogen is a fuel that can potentially replace the current fossil fuels in transport. If produced sustainably, this may lead to a reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from transport. In some countries, the first hydrogen fuel stations have been installed in the past years. In some cases this has led to resistance by the local population before the implementation took place. Little insight exists, however, into how acceptance changes after a technology had been taken into operation. Knowing this can be contributed to determining how to anticipate to public responses over time. The current study therefore investigated differences in attitudes among citizens between before and after the implementation of the technology. Residents living near to a location where a hydrogen fuel station was placed in the Netherlands were interviewed; one group before the technology was taken into operation (done with an official opening ceremony) and one group afterwards. The findings show, first, that the attitude towards the technology, the knowledge level, and the perceived risks and benefits did not significantly differ between the before and after group. Second, differences did occur in the feeling of pride when thinking of the technology and trust in the industry placing and maintaining a safe technology; pride was felt somewhat stronger and trust in the industry was higher after the opening. Third, the findings show that benefit perception had a stronger effect and risk perception a somewhat weaker effect on the attitude towards the local hydrogen fuel station after the opening as compared to before the opening. A possible explanation is loss aversion in the before group, as the potential loss of safety may have ‘loomed’ larger and the benefits smaller in the face of the change in status quo. After the opening, the environmental benefits apparently became a more important factor for judging the technology. Fourth, distance affected the evaluation before the opening, but not after the opening. This may be related to the fact that especially those living nearby may actually expect to undergo the potential loss in safety. Fifth, trust in industry and trust in the government equally influenced the overall evaluation before and after the opening, suggesting that the importance of trust does not diminish immediately after the technology is taken into operation. Implications of the findings will be discussed.