Hydrogen Program Knowledge and Opinions Assessment of Safety and Codes Officials

HYDROGEN SURVEYS 2008

SAFETY AND CODES OFFICIALS

Using Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI), the agency will be contacted. The following protocol will be used.

Interviewer:

May I please speak to [INSERT RESPONDENT NAME FROM SAMPLE]?

Hello, I’m ___ calling from _____ on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy. Your agency has been selected for an important national research survey about new energy sources. You have (your office has) been sent a letter from _____, Program Manager of the DOE Hydrogen Program, which explained the purpose and importance of this survey. The survey takes about 12 minutes to complete.

Before we get started, I want to mention that there are both technical and opinion questions in the survey. Tell me what you think or believe, but keep in mind that “no opinion” or “don’t know” are perfectly acceptable responses.

Interviewers will also have the following information to provide to the respondent:

• OMB Control Number

• Hydrogen website URL

Also note that, if asked at any point during the survey, the interviewer should tell the respondent that there are no trick questions.

Opening Question

Q1. Please rate your familiarity with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies:

1. Not at all familiar

(You know nothing about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies)

2. Slightly familiar

(You’ve heard about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, read an article or watched a television feature about the technology, or participated in casual conversation about the technology)

3. Familiar

(You’ve had limited experience with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies; researched the subject for work, school, or personal interest; or learned about the technology in a class or workshop)

4. Very familiar

(You consider yourself an expert in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies)

Technical Knowledge Questions

T1-4 I am going to read several statements. After each one, please tell me if you believe the statement is true, if it is false, or if you don’t know

1. True

2. False

3. Don’t know

T1. Hydrogen gas is toxic

T2. Fuel cells produce electricity through hydrogen combustion

T3. Hydrogen is lighter than air

T4. Hydrogen has a distinct odor

T5. Fuel cells can provide power to which of the following?

1. Your home

2. Your car

3. Your laptop computer

4. None of these

5. Or, all of these

6. Don’t know

T6. In which state or condition can hydrogen be stored?

1. Chemical compound

2. Liquid

3. Both of these

4. Or, neither of these

5. Don’t know

T7. When using pure hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles generate electricity, water, and what else?

1. Carbon dioxide

2. Nitrous oxides

3. Heat

4. Or, all of these

5. Don’t know

T8. Hydrogen can be produced using which of the following sources of energy?

1. Natural gas

2. Sunlight

3. Organic matter

4. Or, all of these

5. Don’t know

Opinion Questions

O1. For the next question, I will ask you to rank five items. It may be easier if you write them down. Do you need a moment to get something to write with? Now, please tell me which factor is MOST important to you, personally, when selecting a fuel for your vehicle or a power supply for your home or business?

1. Safety

2. Low cost

3. Environmental impact

4. Convenience

5. Performance

6. Don’t know/No opinion

O2. Repeat Question O1 with remaining factors

O3. Repeat Question O1 with remaining factors

O4. Repeat Question O1 with remaining factors

O5. How would you feel if your local gas station also sold hydrogen?

1. Frightened

2. Uneasy

3. At ease

4. Or, pleased

5. Don’t know/No opinion

O6. Please tell me if you believe the following statement is true, if it is false, or if you don’t know: Hydrogen is too dangerous for everyday use by the general public.

1. True

2. False

3. Don’t know/No opinion

O7-9. Next, I am going to read several statements about potential benefits of using hydrogen as a VEHICLE FUEL. For each, tell me if you disagree, are neutral, agree, or if you have no opinion?

1. Disagree

2. Are neutral

3. Agree

4. No opinion

O7. Using hydrogen will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil

O8. Using hydrogen will reduce emissions and improve air quality

O9. Hydrogen is as safe to use in my car as gasoline and diesel fuels

O10-O15. For the following applications, please rate the safety of using hydrogen and fuel cells, in comparison with technology in use today. Is it not as safe, equally as safe, or safer to use hydrogen and fuel cells for …

1. Not as safe

2. Equally as safe

3. Safer

4. No opinion

O10. Personal cars and trucks

O11. Buses and commercial vehicles

O12. Large power plants

O13. Small portable devices such as laptop computers or cell phones

O14. Onsite power for the home

O15. Onsite power for buildings such as hospitals and schools

Information Sources

I1-8. The next question is about your use of information sources that can help you make decisions about energy costs and safety. How often do you use each of the following sources for energy information? Would you say never, sometimes, or frequently?

1. Never

2. Sometimes

3. Frequently

4. Don’t know

I1. Teachers and schools

I2. Friends and family members

I3. Environmental and conservation groups

I4. Utility companies or brokers, for example, gas or electricity providers

I5. Industry/trade associations or non-profit organizations

I6. Federal government

I7. State government

I8. Local government

I9-14. How often do you get energy information from different types of mass media? Would you say that you never, sometimes, or frequently get energy information from…

1. Never

2. Sometimes

3. Frequently

4. Don’t know

I9. Television

I10. Radio

I11. The Internet

I12. Newspapers and general interest magazines

I13. Science and technology magazines and journals

I14. Business or trade magazines

Audience-specific Questions

A1. Have you ever been involved in permitting a stationary fuel cell installation, hydrogen fueling station, or other hydrogen fuel cell project?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

A2. Do you know anyone or have any of your colleagues/peers been involved in permitting a stationary fuel cell, hydrogen fueling station, or other hydrogen fuel cell project?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

A3. Have you ever received information about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

A4. Have you ever participated in a training class about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies?

1. Yes  Continue

2. No  Skip to A6

3. Don’t know  Skip to A6

A5. Was the class useful?

1. Yes  Skip to A7

2. No  Skip to A7

3. Don’t know/No opinion  Skip to A7

A6. Would you like to participate in a class?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know/No opinion

A7. Which class format is most useful to you?

1. In-person class at a local facility

2. In-person class in conjunction with a relevant conference or event

3. Web-based class

4. A class would not be useful to me

5. Don’t know/No opinion

A8. If you were asked to review a request for a stationary fuel cell permit, would you have the information to do so?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know/No opinion

A9. If you were asked to review a request for a stationary fuel cell permit, how would you feel about conducting the review?

1. Uneasy

2. Curious

3. Comfortable

4. Don’t know/No opinion

A10. If you were asked to review a request for a hydrogen fueling station permit, would you have the information to do so?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

A11. If you were asked to review a request for a hydrogen fueling station permit, how would you feel about conducting the review?

1. Uneasy

2. Curious

3. Comfortable

4. Don’t know/No opinion

A12. If you need information about hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in order to review an application for a stationary fuel cell or hydrogen fueling station, where would you seek that information?

1. Peers

2. Federal government

3. State government

4. Nonprofit organization

5. Industry source

6. National organization

7. Local agency’s regulations

8. Don’t know/No opinion

Hydrogen Survey 2008 – Safety and Code Officials page 6