According to the latest figures from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) (
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change), nearly 78% of British citizens support the use of renewable energy to provide the UK’s electricity, fuel and heat. DECC’s latest Public Attitudes Tracker also shows that 71% agree that renewable energy provides economic benefits to the UK.
Of the various renewable technologies, solar was the most favoured, with 81% stating their support, followed by wave and tidal (74%). There was also considerable support for offshore wind (65%) and bio-mass (63%).
This contrasts with technologies such as nuclear (39%) and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas (24%). The report also shows that two-thirds of British citizens are ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ concerned about climate change (66%) and energy security, while 72% are concerned about the UK becoming too dependent on energy from other countries.
Dr Nina Skorupska, chief executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said: “Public support for renewables has been consistently high for many years, with the benefits to energy security and climate change clear. Renewables hold the key to de-carbonising the UK, and the growth of our sector goes hand in hand with cheaper bills and thousands of skilled jobs across the country.”