Investigation of the determinants of the consumption of biofuels by Greek consumers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the determining factors that contribute to the increase in the use of biofuels among Greek consumers. The research tool is a fully structured questionnaire (260 consumers; random sampling) consisting of closed-ended questions with answers on a 5-point Likert scale. Greek consumers do not use biofuels frequently and their knowledge about biofuels is unsatisfactory. The non-demographic factors that exert a statistically significant influence on the levels of use of biofuels are the lower cost of ownership , lower operating costs , better cost–performance ratio compared to other fuels, fewer installation intervention requirements, less environmental impact, easier handling and the consumers’ knowledge about the biofuels. The influence of demographic factors on the use of biofuels by Greek consumers was also examined. The consumer demographics that showed a statistically significant correlation with and influence on the use of biofuels were gender, age, education, and place of permanent residence. Women, older consumers, and those with a higher level of education end up being more positive about using biofuels in their daily lives. Similarly, the state of rural and island areas ends up being more positive, compared to the residents of urban and semi-urban areas.