Addressing Energy Poverty through Transitioning to a Carbon-Free Environment

• Published in: Sustainability 2019, Vol.11 (9), p.2634
• Main Authors: Papadopoulou, Sofia-Despoina, Kalaitzoglou, Niki, Psarra, Maria, Lefkeli, Sideri, Karasmanaki, Evangelia, Tsantopoulos, Georgios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Attitudes; Climate change; Competitiveness; Consumers; Data analysis; Electricity; Emissions; Energy industry; Energy policy; Energy poverty; Energy resources; Energy sources; Energy technology; Environmental education; Environmental impact; Handbooks; Households; Lignite; Natural resources; Photovoltaics; Poverty; Principal components analysis; Quality of life; Renewable energy sources; Renewable resources; Security; Sustainable development; Taxation; Wind power
• ISSN: 2071-1050; 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su11092634

The excessive consumption of fossil fuels not only leads to resource depletion, but also involves negative environmental effects on both public health and the climate. However, Greece’s renewable energy (RE) capacity is considerable and could meet a great part of the country’s energy needs while helping to tackle the ecological problem our planet faces. At the same time, the deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) can facilitate the creation of new jobs and enable households to become energy independent, while addressing energy poverty. The present study investigates the views and attitudes of citizens of the Thessaloniki conurbation towards RES. To collect the data, structured questionnaires were used, which were completed through personal interviews. Moreover, random sampling was performed to select the sample, and in total 420 citizens participated in the survey. Results showed that the respondents supported the replacement of lignite plants with renewable energy sources since they perceived that they constitute a necessary solution providing opportunities for economic growth and improvement to their quality of life. Finally, the vast majority expressed increased interest in future investment in photovoltaic systems, which in their opinion could contribute to improving air quality and increasing the energy independence not only of Greece but also of households.