From corporations to communities: Widening the lens of social acceptance in road-based hydrogen storage and distribution through social lifecycle assessment principles

Successful deployment of hydrogen technologies depends not only on technical and economic feasibility, but also on social acceptance across diverse stakeholder groups. This study evaluates the social acceptance of UK road-based hydrogen storage and distribution systems using HySaaS (Hydrogen Storage as a Service) as a case study. A novel stakeholder selection framework derived from Social Lifecycle Assessment (S-LCA) principles is applied through an exploratory value-chain focus group (n = 8), public survey (n = 297), and exploratory fire-service interview (n = 1). Results show that perceived usefulness, ease of use, and safety strongly influence acceptance. Value chain actors supported flexibility and scalability but raised concerns regarding regulation and integration. Public participants expressed cautious support shaped by safety perceptions and communication quality. A senior fire service officer highlighted the importance of early engagement and operational data access. The study provides a transparent and repeatable basis for stakeholder identification in hydrogen social acceptance research.