15 December 2025 | R&D

Better green than blue: social acceptance of hydrogen depends on sustainability

The Dutch government and industry are committed to an energy transition. Hydrogen plays an important role in this. But how does society view this? Initial research by the HySUCCESS project shows that people find green hydrogen more acceptable than blue hydrogen because of its sustainability. When it comes to trust it is also highly relevant who produces the hydrogen: a company with or without a history in the fossil fuel industry.

The transition to hydrogen is not just a technological issue. Public acceptance also plays a crucial role. The HySUCCESS project focuses on the non-technological aspects of hydrogen. Experts in economics, law, psychology, sustainability, and energy systems are investigating the factors that influence the social uptake of green hydrogen and green chemistry in a sustainable future for the Netherlands.

Social acceptance of hydrogen

One of the research packages focuses on public acceptance of hydrogen developments. How do people in the Netherlands view this? Gonzalo Palomo-Vélez, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Groningen, led the first study. “We analyzed the influence of two factors on the acceptance of hydrogen. First, is there a difference between green and blue hydrogen when it comes to public acceptability? Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy, while blue hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels, with CO2 emissions being captured and stored. The other factor we considered was the type of company producing the hydrogen. Does it make a difference to public trust, which plays a relevant role in shaping acceptance, whether it is a company that has a legacy on renewable energy or a company from the fossil fuel industry?”

Reputation of and trust in companies

The researchers put the question to a group of people from across the Netherlands. “We gave them the necessary information about hydrogen production and presented them with different scenarios in which green or blue hydrogen was produced by a fossil fuel or renewable energy company,” says Palomo-Vélez. “We then asked whether they believed that the underlying motivations of the companies to produce hydrogen were indeed to help combating climate change or just to improve their corporate image. We also asked about the acceptance of the different types of hydrogen. As expected, people think that fossil fuel companies are investing in hydrogen to improve their image. These companies were trusted less in general, both in terms of their integrity and competence.”

Preference for green hydrogen

However, the most important result is different. “The background of the producing company is much less decisive in public acceptance than the type of hydrogen that is produced,” says Palomo-Vélez. “People prefer green hydrogen because of its sustainability.” The researcher recommends that this conclusion be taken into account in the rollout of hydrogen in the Netherlands. “Green hydrogen should not be missing from the hydrogen economy.” According to Palomo-Vélez, it would be good for companies with a history in fossil fuels to build trust. “For instance, one way is being rather transparent about their motivations. So perhaps it is good for trust building, that they acknowledge that while their intent is based on sustainability, their corporate motivations also play a role.”