Socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence publics' awareness on the different forms of renewable energy sources

Abstract

Public awareness of renewable energy sources can offer multiple benefits, as it can contribute to the social acceptance of projects based on these energy sources and to the overall improvement of consumers' energy behaviour. The objective of the present study is to examine the demographic and socioeconomic factors that determine someone's knowledge on different forms of renewable energy, based on data from a survey that took place in the summer of 2012 in Greece. The most known renewable energy forms are solar and wind energy, followed by geothermal, hydropower and biomass. The lesser known forms are tidal, wave and ocean thermal energy. Factors having a statistically significant relation with the different forms of renewable energy are gender, age, education level, head of household education level, environmentally friendly behaviour and having an occupation, studies or interests related to environment, technology or engineering.