As the transition toward climate-neutral technologies accelerates, understanding how people perceive and adopt new solutions becomes just as important as advancing the technologies themselves. A recent publication developed within the CO2SMOS project and carried out by RWTH Aachen University researchers Wiktoria Wilkowska, Imke Haverkämper, and Martina Ziefle examines exactly this question.
Their study, “Who’s willing to take the green leap? Consumers’ preferences and their willingness to use different carbon capture and utilisation products,” explores how different groups of consumers view products made using captured CO₂ — from clothing and cosmetics to food and aviation fuel.
What the research reveals:
- Survey data from 827 participants show two clear consumer groups: Hesitants (42%) and Enthusiasts (58%).
- People’s attitudes toward technology and innovation were more influential than demographics in predicting willingness to use CO₂-based products.
- Perceived risks vary across applications, but CO₂-based aviation fuel stood out as the option offering the strongest environmental benefit with comparatively low health-related concerns.
- The findings highlight that integrating user expectations and behavioral insights into CCU development is essential for creating viable, socially accepted pathways toward climate neutrality.
This study adds an important societal perspective to the body of results emerging from the now-completed CO2SMOS project.
Read the full paper here.
