Understandability and usefulness of news articles in explaining electricity generation from biomass: A comparative study on exact and non-exact science university students

Abstract

Public understanding on biomass energy has been considered as an important factor in the implementation of biomass energy technology. However, there have been a few literatures that have demonstrated public understandability and reaction toward information on the utilization of biomass waste into energy especially for electricity generation. This paper shows understandability of 195 university students toward information on electricity generation from biomass retrieved from newspapers and their perception on whether or not the information is useful in explaining the technology. University students are considered as key actor in technology implementation since they have potential in both technology improvement and implementation into society, such as involvement in R&D activities as their bachelor project or thesis and in-community service program by technology engagement. This paper also highlights how students whose non-exact science background may differ in understandability and usefulness from that of science exact backgrounds. Although students with exact science background have more potential in technology improvement of biomass energy in the future, those with non-exact science background also have more potential in supporting the implementation by public education and campaigns.