Hungarians Would Trust Renewable Energy Sources

The Hungarian population would most likely spend state resources on the development of renewable energy sources, according to a representative national survey commissioned by Mol.

According to a summary sent to MTI on Thursday, based on a survey that also asked about climate issues, 70% of the total population feels that climate change has a significant or some impact on their daily lives. The higher a person's level of education and the larger the town they live in, the more likely they are to perceive such an impact.

Ninety-two percent of respondents identified the development of renewable energy sources as an area that should be supported. In addition, 64% responded that government intervention, incentives, and supportive regulations are needed to promote the use of sustainable fuels.

Overall, 91% of respondents consider it important to increase energy production from renewable sources in Hungary. Seventy-four percent of respondents would support the installation of wind farms in their own municipality, with the proportion of supporters increasing with level of education. Eighty-four percent would consider solar parks acceptable in their own community.

Nearly 40% of respondents would be willing to pay a higher price for electricity from renewable sources, with the majority willing to pay up to 10% more. One in three respondents would be willing to pay more for fuel from renewable sources, although no more than 10% more. This view is particularly prevalent among students and those with higher levels of education.

Only 6% of the population feels well-informed about green hydrogen, and a further 21% has heard of it. 17% are familiar with biomethane, and 44% are familiar with it to some extent, but only 38% of respondents consider it an important future renewable energy source.

Two-thirds are aware of geothermal energy and Hungary's favorable conditions in this area. Nearly 90% would like to see energy obtained from the earth's heat as a key player in the energy supply of the future, and 85% would support the construction of new geothermal power plants. 84% of respondents would use it in their homes if they could, but most would only do so if it were cheaper than their current heating method.

Mol will spend more than USD 4 billion on sustainability investments by the end of the decade. According to the announcement, an important milestone in the transition is the company's refinery in Százhalombatta, where crude oil has been processed together with vegetable and animal waste oils, fats and oils for years, reducing the environmental footprint of the products. The green hydrogen plant at the Danube Refinery is capable of producing 1,600 tons of clean, carbon-neutral green hydrogen per year, which could cover the annual fuel consumption of more than 10,000 hydrogen-powered passenger cars.

The group is also active in renewable energy production. The new 48 MW solar power plant being built in Tiszaújváros will generate enough electricity to supply approximately 28,000 average households in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County with electricity for a year. In addition to the solar park, an electricity storage system with a capacity of 40 MWh will also be built.

Mol currently operates seven solar parks in Hungary and two in Croatia, with a total capacity of 111 MW, which it plans to increase to around 200 MW by 2026.

Rossi Biofuel Plc., partly owned by Mol, is capable of producing 200,000 tons of biofuel per year, and the company's biogas plant in Szarvas generates enough electricity for two small towns, also from renewable sources. Mol is preparing to take a leading role in regional biomethane production, but has also recently launched geothermal research and experimental lithium production projects, according to the announcement.