D10.4 Synthesis: Towards societal risk governance strategies

In HyDelta 2.0 WP10 we found through literature research, four local case studies and stakeholder interviews that the public perception of hydrogen developments in the Netherlands is now generally positive, nevertheless fragile. The knowledge level of the general public is not high: both concerning the technologies, vision and goals regarding hydrogen applications in the Netherlands. This lack of knowledge increases the risk of misinterpretation of information or change of perception with false information. The knowledge level can be increased with central communication about hydrogen developments, the vision and goals around hydrogen and policies. Improving central communication to the public raises the knowledge level and helps local implementation by unburdening local participation processes, which are currently extensive with first hydrogen developments and pilots. However, the fact that the entire energy system and policy framework concerning this in transition, makes communication about hydrogen developments to the public challenging. Roles and responsibilities in the sector are subject to change and there is uncertainty about what the energy system will look like in the future. This makes it challenging to provide unified information about the position of hydrogen in the future energy system. The current uncertain position of hydrogen applications in the future energy system, in combination with unclear roles and responsibilities and long lead times of permit procedures, contributes to a challenging climate for market parties to make investment decisions.

In task 10.1 we did a literature review about social acceptance of hydrogen. In task 10.2 we did interviews with stakeholders along the hydrogen value chain about the societal embeddedness of hydrogen in the Netherlands and in task 10.3 we did four (local) case studies, studying public support, communication and risk and safety perception. In task 10.4 we used the results of tasks 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 to work towards three risk governance strategies for nine societal risks occurring in four main subjects: (1.) participation, (2.) communication,  (3.) policies and regulations and (4.) decision making. These strategies focus on what participation processes could look like in the coming years, how communication to the public can be optimized and what role the government could take to accelerate the development of the hydrogen value chain in The Netherlands by enabling stakeholders. The risk governance strategies have been developed in a co-creation setting. The strategies can be enhanced and improved by working out a step-wise approach and testing them in use case scenarios’.