Research

August 2021: National public survey on hydrogen finds widespread support

As part of this research, a national survey of over three thousand Australians found that 65% of Australians already support using hydrogen as a fuel and that rose to 90% once respondents were provided with more facts about hydrogen and its uses.

Download full survey report

Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre engaged the University of Queensland to conduct the national survey to better understand public opinion on using hydrogen and it showed widespread support for producing and using hydrogen both in Australia and for export. The results support the activities happening now in every State to develop Australia’s hydrogen industry.

The survey found:

• 65% already support using Hydrogen as a fuel, with 32% undecided. After finding out more about hydrogen this rose to 90% support with 7% undecided and only 3% opposed
• Support for hydrogen was broad-based with similar results across all States and main political party affiliations, with no significant differences, showing broad bi-partisan support
• Respondents who currently use natural gas at home were slightly more supportive of hydrogen than respondents who did not, but the effect size was small which suggests that support for hydrogen is not related to current use of natural gas
• Awareness about hydrogen is growing, with 40% of respondents having already heard about hydrogen in the media, 27% had heard about hydrogen production projects in Australia, and 21% about blending natural gas and hydrogen for domestic use
• 75% of respondents believe climate change is already happening, which is an increase from an earlier 2018 ARENA survey (70.8%)