Education

Sustained education will be required to expand the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. Current public knowledge and awareness levels of hydrogen and fuel cells are low, and prevalent misunderstandings of hydrogen properties have led to negative opinions about the safe use of hydrogen as an energy carrier. Given the current and anticipated public visibility of hydrogen demonstration projects, a carefully planned education program is needed.

The Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program at ORNL is the lead organization for the DOE Baseline Knowledge Assessment Survey. The data collected in this activity will guide education program development and activities and will provide a quantifiable baseline from which to measure changes in knowledge of hydrogen technologies among key target audiences over time.

For more information on the DOE Hydrogen Education activity, see the Multi-Year Research, Development, and Demonstration Plan.

Projects

• Baseline Knowledge Assessment for the Hydrogen Education Program - Rick Schmoyer and Tykey Truett

Contact

Dave Stinton, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 865-574-4556, stintondp@ornl.gov

Baseline Knowledge Assessment for the Hydrogen Education Program - Tykey Truett

The widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier requires trained safety and code officials, an educated workforce, state and local government officials who understand the near-term realities and long-term potential of the technology, and a public that is familiar and comfortable with using the new fuel. With this in mind, the DOE Hydrogen Program established an education key activity to address the training and information needs of target audiences that have a role in advancing the development and use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

In 2004, DOE conducted scientific surveys of four populations (the general public, ages 18 and over; students, ages 12-17; state and local government officials; and potential hydrogen end users). The surveys measured knowledge levels and opinions concerning hydrogen and fuel cell technologies within the United States. Survey results were analyzed and a baseline of knowledge and understanding was established. The survey results were intended to serve (1) as a reference for designing a hydrogen education program and (2) as a baseline for measuring changes in understanding and awareness over time. The surveys will be repeated in 2008/2009 and 2011/2012.

Project Documents:

• 2008 Annual Report: Hydrogen Knowledge and Opinions Assessment (PDF 252KB)

• 2008 Hydrogen Program Merit Review Presentation (PDF 285KB)

• Fact Sheet: Baseline Knowledge Assessment for the Hydrogen Education Program

• 2006 Hydrogen Program Merit Review Presentation

• 2006 Annual Progress Report
  

Related Publications and Presentations:

• R. L. Schmoyer, Tykey Truett, and Christy Cooper. Results of the 2004 Knowledge and Opinions Surveys for the Baseline Knowledge Assessment of the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program. ORNL/TM-2006/417 (April 2006).

• Tykey Truett, R. L. Schmoyer, and Christy Cooper. Results of the 2004 U.S. Department of Energy Surveys Measuring Knowledge of and Opinions on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. Transportation Research Board (TRB) 85th Annual Meeting, January 22-26, 2006, Washington, D.C., poster presentation and paper in compendium of papers CD-ROM (paper 06-0607).

• Christy Cooper, Tykey Truett, and R. L. Schmoyer. The U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Baseline Survey: Assessing Knowledge and Opinions about Hydrogen Technology. Paper prepared for the National Hydrogen Association (NHA) Annual Hydrogen Conference 2006: Global Progress Toward Clean Energy, Long Beach, California, March 12-16, 2006.

• Christy Cooper, Tykey Truett, and R. L. Schmoyer. The U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Baseline Survey: Assessing Knowledge and Opinions about Hydrogen Technology. Paper prepared for the World Hydrogen Energy Conference, Lyon, France, June 13-16, 2006.

• Christy Cooper. The DOE Baseline Knowledge Survey: Measuring H2IQ. 2006 Peer Review and Merit Evaluation Meeting, May 16, 2006.

• Baseline Knowledge Assessment. Poster presentation to the 2005 DOE Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program Review, May 2005.

• Tykey Truett. Literature Review for the Baseline Knowledge Assessment of the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program. ORNL/TM-2003/258, October 2003.

Program Contacts:

• Rick Schmoyer, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 865-576-5327, ric@ornl.gov

• Tykey Truett, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 865-946-1306, truettlf@ornl.gov
  

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