Addressing Energy Poverty through Transitioning to a Carbon-Free Environment

• Main Authors: Sofia-Despoina Papadopoulou, Niki Kalaitzoglou, Maria Psarra, Sideri Lefkeli, Evangelia Karasmanaki, Georgios Tsantopoulos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-05-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: Renewable energy sources; energy poverty; energy transition; citizen attitudes; Thessaloniki
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/9/2634

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.