Conference article

In this work we present the results of a Q-study aimed to systematically represent lay-people’s perspective on energy and sustainability issues. Especially we explored lay-people’ perspectives on what are the overriding issues related to energy; (e.g. energy security and environmental crisis) as well as which actors are responsible to address these issues. In this context we elicited people’s opinions on contested alternative technologies (e.g. nuclear power; wind energy; hydrogen). We were able to identify tree different environmental perspectives and a non-environmental one. Despite interesting common points (e.g. mistrust in the government) the data show dissimilarities in the perception of how the future energy system might look like. The main divergences turn around the employment of nuclear energy and in general of large scale decentralized system vs. small scale one. Although the presence and the distribution of the results in the larger population it is still to further enquire we retain the results useful for policy makers and practitioners involved in the designing; the decision making or implementation phase of new technologies to achieve energy sustainability as well as in the communication activity with the large public.

Lay-people’s perspectives; Energy; Sustainability; Q-methodology