Researchers from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in cooperation with research and consultancy firm Deep Blue conducted a survey on the acceptance of clean technologies and how citizens would feel being both consumer and producer (prosumer) of renewable energy in their own local community. It showed that less harmful emissions and lower cost of energy are perceived as the main benefits of renewables. But potential prosumers need high levels of transparency on costs of energy production systems and reassurance on health and safety implications before joining an energy community initiative.
Professor Thierry Coosemans leads the European RENAISSANCE project at the VUB research group MOBI.