Renewable Energy in Hungary: Awareness, Challenges, and Opportunities

Abstract

A significant portion of sustainability relies on the utilization of renewable energy sources. To achieve broader adoption and integration, educating the populace becomes imperative. This study seeks to assess the level of general knowledge pertaining to renewable energy sources within the Hungarian population. It aims to ascertain from which communities or online platforms individuals primarily derive information regarding these energy sources, as well as to discern the type of content participants would be most receptive to, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of renewable energy sources. The primary research methodology employed an online questionnaire, which gathered responses from a total of 836 participants. While the research sample cannot be deemed fully representative, the larger sample size facilitates the exploration of pertinent correlations and relationships utilizing statistical variables. The findings reveal that 81% of the Hungarian population surveyed exhibits the highest familiarity with solar energy, while biofuels garnered the least familiarity at 47%. Additionally, it is notable that a majority of individuals primarily receive information about renewable energy sources from close acquaintances and television news. Podcast programs are identified as significant educational platforms, and individuals predominantly seek information on this subject through posts on online news portals and social media groups.