Reputational Study on the Community's Readiness for Innovative Construction

Before the full-scale invasion, a project was actively developing for the construction of a state-of-the-art "green" hydrogen production plant in the Renivska community territory in the Odesa region. However, due to the well-known events, the project was frozen. Despite this, in the summer of 2024, gradual steps were taken in this direction.

The need arose to conduct a reputational study at the site of the future construction—how ready the local community members are to initially accept the construction process of the plant and, later, its operation.

The client has extensive experience in communicating on this matter with both local administration representatives and community residents. The client's team has a good understanding of the possible opinions, stereotypes, and concerns regarding the project. Therefore, there was no need for a preliminary qualitative stage, and the research could directly proceed to a quantitative assessment.

Research Objective

To assess the potential negative attitude and ways to minimize the risks of implementing the construction project.

Research Tasks

To realise this goal, the following objectives have been outlined:

• Evaluation of the perceived impact of construction on the local economy and infrastructure
• Analysis of stereotypes and myths regarding hydrogen and renewable energy sources
• Assessment of socio-economic, political, and informational risks in the perception of residents
• Study of the perception of technical safety aspects and reliability of hydrogen technologies
• Determining the perceived potential impact of the project on agriculture and the environment in the region
• Determining the attitude of risk groups (internally displaced persons, women, people with disabilities) towards the project
• Determining the level of interest among residents in collaborating with the project both during the construction phase and after its completion

Research Results

Based on the results of the quantitative sociological study the client received an in-depth analytical report with general and detailed assessments for different target groups (women, internally displaced persons, people with disabilities).

The report also highlights the prevailing stereotypes and prejudices regarding "green" energy in general and "green" hydrogen in particular. A separate section is dedicated to the level of interest of local residents in potential collaboration within the framework of this project.

Based on the obtained data, the client gained a comprehensive understanding of public opinion regarding their project and received recommendations for further work with the community.