Hydrogen Energy Technologies' Acceptance Review and Perspective: Toward a Needs' Anticipation Approach

As preoccupation for climate change is of growing significance and call for disruptive innovation [20], Hydrogen Energy Technologies (HET) have been steeply identified as a potential key factor to address the energy transition [6]. Whereas public acceptance is recognized to be of great importance - and even equal to the technology - in the success of energy projects [9], HET' acceptance is questionable. This study aims (a) to portray the works that have focused on the acceptance of HET, (b) to highlight the limits of acceptance-based approaches, (c) to point out the benefits of adopting a Needs' anticipation approach rather than an acceptance-based approach in human technology relationship issues, (d) to attest its relevance in the context of HET and (e) to propose a Needs' anticipation approach related to a need seeker innovation strategy. Our findings indicate that a large majority of the studies followed a techno-centered approach of acceptance. We propose a paradigm shift regarding human technology relationship approach by making the dichotomy between traditional acceptance-based approach and Needs anticipation approach. While the first is techno-centered and aim to push for the use of a technology by modulating deployment conditions, the second is human-centered and has the ambition to shape the technology to the user's future needs and requirements. Thereby, given the high stakes and the future-oriented nature related to HET issues, we support the idea that a Needs' anticipation approach must be applied in designing HET to ensure future uses.