Social acceptance is an important aspect in the realization and implementation of various renewable
energy technologies. Our main objective with this literature review is to provide insight into public
support, social acceptance and societal readiness for new energy technologies in general, and
hydrogen, both as an energy carrier and as an application in the built environment, in particular. 110
relevant articles were identified, of which 28 have been included in this literature review, based on
relevance and year of publication (2012-2022). Generally, the findings show there is low awareness
concerning hydrogen, as well as limited knowledge and familiarity with this new energy technology,
especially concerning hydrogen storage. Despite this, there is overall moderate to high willingness to
accept hydrogen, which decreases when it comes to the local implementation of hydrogen projects.
Safety and affordability were two important characteristic of a hydrogen industry that would motivate
people to support this industry, together with climate change mitigation. Safety concerns over the
flammability of hydrogen are mostly expressed when used for household activities and storage, and
less so when it concerns the use of hydrogen for transportation. Communication about safety and risks,
transparent interaction between all parties and the community, as well as giving the community a
voice in the decision-making process, will be essential for hydrogen acceptance. Together with the
results from five case studies (deliverable 10.3 of the HyDelta 2.0 project), recommendations regarding
the elements that should and should not be included in a development and implementation strategy
will be given.
