Department of Agricultural Economics at Ghent University, Belgium.
Public Underst Sci. 2011 Sep;20(5):595-608. doi: 10.1177/0963662509358641.
Public knowledge regarding green energy is limited and there is a perceived lack of information, particularly in the case of biofuels. This study investigates the information seeking behaviour of fuel consumers with regard to biofuels, their preferences for particular elements and channels of information and their trust in information sources. The majority of respondents were interested in many elements of information, and particularly in the tax (dis)advantages associated with biofuels. They prefer to obtain information via newspapers and brochures. Scientists, environmental and consumer organizations and the government are perceived as the most trustworthy sources of information whilst word of mouth sources, journalists and the fuel sector are less well trusted. Four consumer clusters could be distinguished, on the basis of the perceived relative trustworthiness of information sources, and these clusters have significantly different socio-demographic characteristics and preferences for elements and channels of information.
公众对绿色能源的了解有限，人们普遍认为缺乏相关信息，特别是在生物燃料方面。本研究调查了燃料消费者在生物燃料方面的信息寻求行为、他们对特定信息要素和渠道的偏好，以及他们对信息来源的信任度。大多数受访者对许多信息要素都感兴趣，尤其是对生物燃料相关的税收（不利）优势感兴趣。他们更喜欢通过报纸和宣传册获取信息。科学家、环境和消费者组织以及政府被认为是最值得信赖的信息来源，而口碑来源、记者和燃料行业则不太受信任。根据对信息来源相对可信度的感知，可以将消费者分为四个群体，这些群体在社会人口统计学特征和对信息要素和渠道的偏好方面存在显著差异。
