In the framework of the ALFA project, White Research has written two conference papers aimed at presenting research to the biomass industry and the academic community. The papers are titled “Follow the Expert and Inform the Citizen: The Role of Familiarity and Awareness on (Mis)perceptions and Attitudes Towards Biogas” and “Socio-demographic and Psychological Factors Behind Citizen Acceptance of Biogas in Livestock Farming.” These papers, written by Pol Camps-AragĂł, Sofia Michopoulou, Angelos Stamos, Giulia Zendron, and Evangelia Tiaka, will both be published in the open-access conference proceedings.
In addition, White Research participated at this year’s European Biomass Conference & Exhibition (EUBCE 2024), actively contributing to advancing discussions on biomass and renewable energy from a social science perspective. White’s participation included delivering both poster and oral presentations to present each of the research papers.
The poster presentation on Monday, June 24th, focused on examining the factors influencing social acceptance of biogas in farming. Key findings highlighted that moral values and psychological factors, such as trust in farmers and environmental concerns, significantly influence attitudes toward biogas produced from manure. These findings hold significant practical relevance, since they can help enhance the effectiveness of awareness raising campaigns that aim at increasing citizen acceptance of biogas production in livestock farms. These findings will not only inform the campaigns by ALFA but would be useful to any policy-makers and associations working towards the same goals.
Throughout the conference, the poster remained prominently displayed, facilitating productive discussions, knowledge sharing, and further inquiries into our findings.
In addition, Pol Camps participated as a panelist in an oral session on Wednesday, June 26th, and presented the insights of the other paper to an audience including industry and research peers. This session provided a platform to delve deeper into research findings and present the challenges hindering the adoption of biogas production systems by livestock farmers, with a particular focus on Belgium. It underscored the primary technical, financial, and legal challenges faced in this context. The research also revealed how a widespread lack of awareness among EU citizens leads to misconceptions surrounding the health, safety and environmental impacts of biogas production from manure.
White’s presence there includes the establishment of key connections, such as the connection with professionals from the renewable energy sector and academic institutions.
Throughout the conference, the project was effectively showcased with the circulation of promotional materials such as leaflets and the academic poster, effectively showcasing ALFA’s research output and initiatives.
In sum, EUBCE 24 provided a valuable opportunity for the ALFA Project and White Research to highlight their research contributions, explore strategic relationships, and contribute meaningfully to the progress of biomass and energy sectors.
