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Addressing Energy Poverty through Transitioning to a Carbon-Free Environment

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  • Sofia-Despoina Papadopoulou

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

  • Niki Kalaitzoglou

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

  • Maria Psarra

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

  • Sideri Lefkeli

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

  • Evangelia Karasmanaki

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

  • Georgios Tsantopoulos

    (Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 68200 Orestiada, Greece)

Abstract

The excessive consumption of fossil fuels not only leads to resource depletion, but also involves negative environmental effects on both public health and the climate. However, Greece’s renewable energy (RE) capacity is considerable and could meet a great part of the country’s energy needs while helping to tackle the ecological problem our planet faces. At the same time, the deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) can facilitate the creation of new jobs and enable households to become energy independent, while addressing energy poverty. The present study investigates the views and attitudes of citizens of the Thessaloniki conurbation towards RES. To collect the data, structured questionnaires were used, which were completed through personal interviews. Moreover, random sampling was performed to select the sample, and in total 420 citizens participated in the survey. Results showed that the respondents supported the replacement of lignite plants with renewable energy sources since they perceived that they constitute a necessary solution providing opportunities for economic growth and improvement to their quality of life. Finally, the vast majority expressed increased interest in future investment in photovoltaic systems, which in their opinion could contribute to improving air quality and increasing the energy independence not only of Greece but also of households.

Suggested Citation

  • Sofia-Despoina Papadopoulou & Niki Kalaitzoglou & Maria Psarra & Sideri Lefkeli & Evangelia Karasmanaki & Georgios Tsantopoulos, 2019. "Addressing Energy Poverty through Transitioning to a Carbon-Free Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:2634-:d:229111
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    Cited by:

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    2. Recep Ulucak & Ramazan Sari & Seyfettin Erdogan & Rui Alexandre Castanho, 2021. "Bibliometric Literature Analysis of a Multi-Dimensional Sustainable Development Issue: Energy Poverty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Apostolos Arsenopoulos & Vangelis Marinakis & Konstantinos Koasidis & Andriana Stavrakaki & John Psarras, 2020. "Assessing Resilience to Energy Poverty in Europe through a Multi-Criteria Analysis Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Kocak, Emrah & Ulug, Eyup Emre & Oralhan, Burcu, 2023. "The impact of electricity from renewable and non-renewable sources on energy poverty and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs): Empirical evidence and policy implications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    5. Andrea Boeri & Valentina Gianfrate & Saveria Olga Murielle Boulanger & Martina Massari, 2020. "Future Design Approaches for Energy Poverty: Users Profiling and Services for No-Vulnerable Condition," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Ioanna Zerinou & Evangelia Karasmanaki & Konstantinos Ioannou & Veronika Andrea & Georgios Tsantopoulos, 2020. "Energy Saving: Views and Attitudes among Primary School Students and Their Parents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-23, August.

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