Values reweight the drivers of hydrogen refuelling station acceptance: Evidence from a nationally representative survey in South Korea

Public acceptance of hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) is a bottleneck in the hydrogen economy, yet it is still explained mainly through risk–benefit and planned-behaviour constructs. Using a nationally representative Korean survey (N = 1571), we test whether six value orientations—conservatism, environmentalism, science–technology optimism, civic virtue, openness to change and future orientation—shape HRS acceptance directly and as moderators. Perceived benefit (β = 0.305) and trust (β = 0.187) were the strongest positive predictors and perceived risk (β = −0.167) and negative image (β = −0.103) the strongest negative ones, but the value block itself added little (ΔR 2 = 0.012). The full family of sixty-six value-by-predictor interactions was jointly significant (ΔR 2 = 0.046, p < .001), and the predictive structure of acceptance differed systematically across value groups, although only one interaction survived false-discovery-rate control. Values reweight rather than supplement the drivers of acceptance, implying value-tailored communication and siting strategies.