Official poll reveals support for renewables at all-time high

An official Government poll has revealed support for using renewable energy has reached a record high of 85%, an increase from 79% in the last survey published in February.

The previous record of 82% was set April 2013 and reached again in November last year.

The data was collected between 28th March – 6th April 2018 using face-to-face in-home interviews with a representative sample of 2,102 households.

The survey also revealed:

• Support for offshore wind was also at its highest recorded level since the tracker began in 2012, reaching 83%. The previous record of 80% was set last May.
• A new all-time high of 76% of people support onshore wind, beating the previous record of 74% set last November.
• Support for wave and tidal energy also reached a record level, at 81%, surpassing the 79% record set last November.
• 75% of people said renewable industries and developments provide economic benefits to the UK. Two in three said they would be happy to have a large scale renewable energy development in their area.

Levels of concern in relation to the UK’s future energy security have increased since last year. 72% of respondents said the UK is becoming too dependent on energy from other
countries, compared to 66% last year.

When asked if the UK is investing fast enough in alternative sources of energy, 71% answered yes compared with 66% last year.

Respondents who were concerned about the UK becoming too dependent on energy from other countries were asked to identify specific sources of energy that concerned them.

Compared with the results at this time last year concern over oil has decreased from 38% to 34%, whilst concern over gas has increased from 47% to 57%.

A smaller proportion mentioned concern over electricity (25%), whilst just over a quarter (27%) had no specific energy source in mind.

RenewableUK’ Executive Director Emma Pinchbeck said: ‘Today’s survey shows record levels of public support for onshore wind, offshore wind, wave and tidal energy. People are happy to have big projects in their own areas – and they strongly feel Government should be building more cheap, reliable, renewable energy here in the UK.

‘It’s great that our industry is winning the global race for clean energy, and to see that the British public is cheering them on.’