Social

Understanding where, how and for whom hydrogen works

Hydrogen technologies and infrastructure will affect communities, workers, consumers, businesses and places in different ways. The Social theme studies how views are shaped by trust, fairness, local experience, perceived need and the distribution of benefits and risks. Its purpose is not to secure acceptance for a predetermined solution, but to challenge assumptions, reveal overlooked impacts and support better decisions about where, how and for whom hydrogen technologies make sense.

0 1

Understanding public views across the UK

PC3.1 – National survey of public attitudes towards hydrogen and alternative liquid-fuel technologies

Project lead: Dr Chris Jones, University of Portsmouth

Supports: All technical themes

This project uses a national survey to understand how people view hydrogen and alternative liquid-fuel technologies. It examines how attitudes are shaped by perceived need, trust, fairness, familiarity and the balance of benefits and risks. The research provides evidence about where public concerns or expectations differ across technologies and applications, helping teams avoid assuming that technical promise will automatically translate into social legitimacy.

What this helps us decide: How trust, perceived need, fairness and risk shape public responses to different technologies and applications.

0 2

Listening to the people affected by hydrogen choices

PC3.2 – Discussion groups with policy, public and stakeholder audiences

Project lead: Dr Chris Jones, University of Portsmouth

Supports: All technical themes

This project brings policy, public and stakeholder audiences into structured discussion about hydrogen and alternative liquid fuels. The work explores how views develop when people consider particular places, uses, infrastructures and trade-offs in more detail. It can challenge assumptions, reveal impacts that technical research may overlook and help shape better questions about where, how and for whom new technologies should be developed.

What this helps us decide: How context, local experience and the distribution of benefits and risks affect legitimacy and project design.