systematic review of bioenergy perception studies

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a structured review of published articles that discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of bioenergy, including both biofuels and biopower. An electronic search process using numerous key terms identified 44 peer-reviewed publications from 2000 to 2013 that focused on stakeholders’ perceptions, understanding, and acceptance of bioenergy. These findings indicate that in the last decade the research community has been more active in publications focused on the societal and public perceptions of the bioenergy industry compared to prior years. Among the reviewed studies, most (84%) are based in the US and Europe, and only a few recent studies have focused on stakeholders in Asia and other parts of the world. This review revealed no standardized methods for evaluation of stakeholder perception, for data collection, or statistical analysis of the data. Among stakeholder groups, the majority of studies focused on the general public or the consumer’s opinion about bioenergy (79% of studies). Overall findings show that the stakeholder groups show low to moderate support for the bioenergy industry. As anticipated, the stakeholder groups had varied views about the opportunities and risks associated with bioenergy industry, and these views varied based on their experiences.