It is well known in socio-economic studies, that the success of an innovation process depends not only on the technological innovation itself or the state of the economic and institutional environment, but also on the public acceptance of the innovation. Public acceptance can be an obstacle for the development and introduction of a new and innovative idea as the example of genetic engineering in agriculture shows. In respect to hydrogen technology this means, that the compilation and communication of scientific risk assessments are not sufficient to generate or enhance public acceptance. Moreover, psychological, social and cultural aspects of risk perception have to be considered when introducing new technologies. This paper focuses on trust as a central parameter of risk perception and the public acceptance of new technologies.
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