IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v131y2019icp111-119.html

Exploring future scientists' awareness about and attitudes towards renewable energy sources

Author

Listed:
  • Karasmanaki, Evangelia
  • Tsantopoulos, Georgios

Abstract

Abundant research has focused on the public acceptance of renewable energy sources (RES) since their successful implementation is often dependent on the public. Yet, little is known about the attitudes of university students towards RES whose study field is related to the environment, even though the mindset of these students is considered relevant since they are possible experts in the RES field. To contribute to this neglected research strand, this paper aims to explore the awareness about and attitudes towards RES of students majoring in the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources at the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece. Results based on quantitative data collected via questionnaire show that the surveyed students support renewables and have awareness about the current polluting energy system. Moreover, they have positive environmental attitudes and fully recognize the need for energy transition. Finally, there are significant differences among students from different years of study, highlighting that fourth- and fifth-year students take greater interest in working in the RES sector after they complete their studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Karasmanaki, Evangelia & Tsantopoulos, Georgios, 2019. "Exploring future scientists' awareness about and attitudes towards renewable energy sources," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 111-119.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:131:y:2019:i:c:p:111-119
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.04.032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421519302812
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2019.04.032?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhai, Pei & Williams, Eric D., 2012. "Analyzing consumer acceptance of photovoltaics (PV) using fuzzy logic model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 350-357.
    2. Eltham, Douglas C. & Harrison, Gareth P. & Allen, Simon J., 2008. "Change in public attitudes towards a Cornish wind farm: Implications for planning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 23-33, January.
    3. Malesios, Chrisovalantis & Arabatzis, Garyfallos, 2010. "Small hydropower stations in Greece: The local people's attitudes in a mountainous prefecture," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2492-2510, December.
    4. Sonnberger, Marco & Ruddat, Michael, 2017. "Local and socio-political acceptance of wind farms in Germany," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 56-65.
    5. Tabi, Andrea & Wüstenhagen, Rolf, 2017. "Keep it local and fish-friendly: Social acceptance of hydropower projects in Switzerland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P1), pages 763-773.
    6. Kotroni, V. & Lagouvardos, K. & Lykoudis, S., 2014. "High-resolution model-based wind atlas for Greece," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 479-489.
    7. Tampakis, Stilianos & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Tsantopoulos, Georgios & Rerras, Ioannis, 2017. "Citizens’ views on electricity use, savings and production from renewable energy sources: A case study from a Greek island," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 39-49.
    8. Kyriakopoulos, Grigorios L. & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Tsialis, Panagiotis & Ioannou, Konstantinos, 2018. "Electricity consumption and RES plants in Greece: Typologies of regional units," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 134-144.
    9. Sapci, Onur & Considine, Timothy, 2014. "The link between environmental attitudes and energy consumption behavior," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 29-34.
    10. Scherhaufer, Patrick & Höltinger, Stefan & Salak, Boris & Schauppenlehner, Thomas & Schmidt, Johannes, 2017. "Patterns of acceptance and non-acceptance within energy landscapes: A case study on wind energy expansion in Austria," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 863-870.
    11. Çakirlar Altuntaş, Esra & Turan, Salih Levent, 2018. "Awareness of secondary school students about renewable energy sources∗," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 741-748.
    12. Zyadin, Anas & Puhakka, Antero & Ahponen, Pirkkoliisa & Cronberg, Tarja & Pelkonen, Paavo, 2012. "School students' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward renewable energy in Jordan," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 78-85.
    13. Pätäri, S. & Arminen, H. & Albareda, L. & Puumalainen, K. & Toppinen, A., 2017. "Student values and perceptions of corporate social responsibility in the forest industry on the road to a bioeconomy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(P1), pages 201-215.
    14. Halder, Pradipta, 2014. "Perceptions of energy production from forest biomass among school students in Finland: Directions for the future bioenergy policies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 372-377.
    15. Strazzera, Elisabetta & Statzu, Vania, 2017. "Fostering photovoltaic technologies in Mediterranean cities: Consumers’ demand and social acceptance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(PB), pages 361-371.
    16. Keramitsoglou, Kiriaki M., 2016. "Exploring adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources: A colour choice approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1159-1169.
    17. Karatepe, Yelda & Neşe, Seçil Varbak & Keçebaş, Ali & Yumurtacı, Mehmet, 2012. "The levels of awareness about the renewable energy sources of university students in Turkey," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 174-179.
    18. Roinioti, Argiro & Koroneos, Christopher, 2017. "The decomposition of CO2 emissions from energy use in Greece before and during the economic crisis and their decoupling from economic growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 448-459.
    19. Haykiri-Acma, H. & Yaman, S., 2010. "Interaction between biomass and different rank coals during co-pyrolysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 288-292.
    20. Tsantopoulos, Georgios & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Tampakis, Stilianos, 2014. "Public attitudes towards photovoltaic developments: Case study from Greece," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 94-106.
    21. Qu, Mei & Ahponen, Pirkkoliisa & Tahvanainen, Liisa & Gritten, David & Mola-Yudego, Blas & Pelkonen, Paavo, 2011. "Chinese university students’ knowledge and attitudes regarding forest bio-energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(8), pages 3649-3657.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Evangelia Karasmanaki & Spyridon Galatsidas & Georgios Tsantopoulos, 2019. "An Investigation of Factors Affecting the Willingness to Invest in Renewables among Environmental Students: A Logistic Regression Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-18, September.
    2. Efi Drimili & Ζoi Gareiou & Efthimios Zervas, 2020. "Public perceptions of the concept of green growth: application in Athens, Greece, during a period of economic crisis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 6053-6076, October.
    3. Fang, Xingming & Qu, Zitang & Sun, Chuanwang & Wu, Chengkuan & Wei, Jing, 2022. "Public attitude and policy selection of future energy sustainability in China: Evidence of the survey of the college students," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    4. Baharoon, Dhyia Aidroos & Rahman, Hasimah Abdul & Fadhl, Saeed Obaid, 2016. "Publics׳ knowledge, attitudes and behavioral toward the use of solar energy in Yemen power sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 498-515.
    5. Keramitsoglou, Kiriaki M., 2016. "Exploring adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources: A colour choice approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1159-1169.
    6. 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.
    7. Hübner, Gundula & Leschinger, Valentin & Müller, Florian J.Y. & Pohl, Johannes, 2023. "Broadening the social acceptance of wind energy – An Integrated Acceptance Model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    8. Van Dael, Miet & Lizin, Sebastien & Swinnen, Gilbert & Van Passel, Steven, 2017. "Young people’s acceptance of bioenergy and the influence of attitude strength on information provision," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 417-430.
    9. Karytsas, Spyridon & Theodoropoulou, Helen, 2014. "Socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence publics' awareness on the different forms of renewable energy sources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 480-485.
    10. Harper, Michael & Anderson, Ben & James, Patrick A.B. & Bahaj, AbuBakr S., 2019. "Onshore wind and the likelihood of planning acceptance: Learning from a Great Britain context," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 954-966.
    11. Kandpal, Tara C. & Broman, Lars, 2014. "Renewable energy education: A global status review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 300-324.
    12. Baharoon, Dhyia Aidroos & Rahman, Hasimah Abdul & Fadhl, Saeed Obaid, 2016. "Personal and psychological factors affecting the successful development of solar energy use in Yemen power sector: A case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 516-535.
    13. Busse, Maria & Siebert, Rosemarie, 2018. "Acceptance studies in the field of land use—A critical and systematic review to advance the conceptualization of acceptance and acceptability," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 235-245.
    14. Ntona, Eirini & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Kyriakopoulos, Grigorios L., 2015. "Energy saving: Views and attitudes of students in secondary education," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 1-15.
    15. Zoltán Szakály & Péter Balogh & Enikő Kontor & Zoltán Gabnai & Attila Bai, 2020. "Attitude toward and Awareness of Renewable Energy Sources: Hungarian Experience and Special Features," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, December.
    16. Assali, Alia & Khatib, Tamer & Najjar, Angham, 2019. "Renewable energy awareness among future generation of Palestine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 254-263.
    17. Stamatios Ntanos & Grigorios Kyriakopoulos & Miltiadis Chalikias & Garyfallos Arabatzis & Michalis Skordoulis & Spyros Galatsidas & Dimitrios Drosos, 2018. "A Social Assessment of the Usage of Renewable Energy Sources and Its Contribution to Life Quality: The Case of an Attica Urban Area in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    18. Karytsas, Spyridon, 2018. "An empirical analysis on awareness and intention adoption of residential ground source heat pump systems in Greece," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 167-179.
    19. Zofia Gródek-Szostak & Mateusz Malinowski & Marcin Suder & Klaudia Kwiecień & Stanisław Bodziacki & Magdalena D. Vaverková & Alżbeta Maxianová & Anna Krakowiak-Bal & Urszula Ziemiańczyk & Hrihorii Usk, 2021. "Energy Conservation Behaviors and Awareness of Polish, Czech and Ukrainian Students: A Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-22, September.
    20. Kyriakopoulos, Grigorios L. & Arabatzis, Garyfallos & Tsialis, Panagiotis & Ioannou, Konstantinos, 2018. "Electricity consumption and RES plants in Greece: Typologies of regional units," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 134-144.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:131:y:2019:i:c:p:111-119. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.