EcoBarometer: 3 generations on LPG

Predominantly negative social perception of the Green Deal

This year's EcoBarometer examines a wide range of ecological phenomena and is an interesting reflection of societal attitudes in the context of the recent European Parliament elections, in which environmental issues played an important role.

What strikes the results of the EcoBarometer 2024 study is the image failure of the European Green Deal. Poles know little about the Green Lada, but they associate it primarily negatively — through the prism of rising energy prices (34%), rising food prices (29%), difficulties in the agriculture and forestry sector (28%), protests and demonstrations (25%) or additional financial burden on entrepreneurs and consumers (24%). At the same time, 30% of respondents see the Green Deal through the prism of the fight against climate change, 28% - environmental protection, and 24% - the development of RES or the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Compared to last year, the skeptical assessment of activities carried out under the pretext of ecology has intensified.

LPG is an important fuel in rural areas

Regarding the questions developed by the research team in cooperation with the Polish Liquefied Gas Organization, the results clearly prove that LPG remains an important fuel in rural areas in Poland. 49% of respondents living in rural areas confirm that they have used liquefied gas — compared to 36-37% for residents of small and medium-sized cities and 33% for residents of metropolitan areas. Among rural LPG users, 48% used it as autogas, and 52% used it to prepare meals: much more than urban residents. The potential of this fuel can therefore be fully exploited precisely there — in sparsely urbanised and peripheral areas with limited access to infrastructure, where, according to the European Commission, the proportion of the population at risk of poverty and energy exclusion is highest.

Three generations: from cooking to autogas

The perception of LPG differs significantly according to the age of the respondents. The youngest respondents, up to 24 years old, know the least about liquefied gas and use it the least - only 34% of them have ever come into contact with LPG. Many of them are afraid of gas: as many as 19% doubt that LPG is safe provided that service recommendations are followed. The youngest adults are most interested in electrical technology: most often they indicate that they would like to heat their future home with solar collectors, a heat pump or an electric boiler.

Adults between the ages of 25 and 44 are much more pragmatic. Among the entire population, they drive on autogas most often (24% of respondents) and identify liquefied gas primarily with diesel fuel. In their purchasing choices, they are guided primarily by the price and it is on this aspect that LPG most often points out -41-47% of fuel users indicate that it is because of the cost of fuel that they chose liquefied gas. 2/3 of the respondents from this group confirm the widespread availability of autogas - this is the most among all Poles.

Oldest Poles use LPG equally often (43% of respondents), but by far the most often in the kitchen — as many as 55% of LPG users have recently cooked with the use of cylinders. In LPG, in addition to cost, they value convenience (33%). They rate the benefits of LPG very highly in the fight against smog — 58% indicate that replacing heating with a gas boiler contributes to improving air quality, and 54% declare the same about autogas. Most often, among all age groups, they rate the gas installation as safe - as many as 65% of the respondents say so.

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LPG as an ecological fuel

Respondents appreciate the importance of liquefied gas as an ecological energy carrier. Of those who have come into contact with LPG, 53% of respondents consider LPG to be an ecological fuel (9% are of the opposite opinion). Also, 53% of users rate that replacing coal stoves with gas boilers contributes to improving air quality and reducing smog (9% rate it not), and 5% - that such an effect is given by the use of autogas in cars (8% disagree). As many as 61% of liquefied gas users agree that LPG is a good solution for areas where there is no access to gas pipelines or heating from the city network.

In proportion to the number of cars registered in Poland, 13% of respondents use a car powered by LPG, and 60% know autogas. After electricity, it is the most widely recognized alternative fuel, although Poles do not necessarily realize that LPG is recognized as such.

Thus, the positive perception of liquefied gas as an alternative energy source among the Polish population is confirmed. LPG is a cleaner fuel compared to coal or road liquid fuels, emitting less pollution and reducing the overall carbon footprint. By limiting the release into the atmosphere of substances such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, all of which are harmful to human health, the use of liquefied gas contributes to the reduction of the smog phenomenon, which is one of the greatest problems of civilization in smaller cities and suburban areas.

The results of the study reflect a growing consensus among Polish society on the benefits of using LPG as an alternative to traditional fuels. It is gratifying that the majority of respondents see its positive impact on air quality and are willing to use this cleaner and greener source of energy.

The full report can be downloaded on the study website.