There is increasing realisation amongst policy makers and industry that public acceptance is a key issue to deploy and extend H2 technologies and infrastructures in Europe. The development of H2 technologies involve small-scale applications as well as large-scale infrastructures that are influenced by the acceptance of the public, stakeholders, communities and potential customers / users. Previous research on social acceptance investigated the general levels of public understanding of HFC technologies in specific countries, but there is limited systematic evidence on the acceptance of FCH technologies throughout Europe. The overall purpose of HYACINTH is to gain deeper understanding of social acceptance of H2 technologies across Europe and to develop a communication / management toolbox for ongoing or future activities introducing H2 into mobility, stationary and power supply systems.
Social acceptance of FCH technologies will be investigated via survey research with representative panels (7.000 European citizens) and semistructured interviews with 455 stakeholders in 10 countries. The design of the data gathering instruments will build upon methodological and conceptual developments in the research of new technologies social acceptance. The toolbox will provide the necessary information and understanding of the state of awareness and acceptance of HFC technologies by the public and by stakeholders. It will further provide the necessary tools to understand and manage expectations of future HFC projects and products in the transition phase, to identify regional challenges and to determine effective policy support measures
Results from the research on the social acceptance across Europe and the toolbox will support projects in setting up under through consideration of the acceptance processes influenced by their activities; i.e. identifying regions of supportive acceptance, barriers, challenges, communication strategies and other means to manage acceptance processes