Public support remains high for renewables
The Wave 6 survey of 2,124 households conducted in July is part of a wider effort to track public opinion of DECC's business priorities. What follows is a summary of the key findings.
Renewable Energy Sources: support levels sustained
76% of people support the use of renewable energy sources to generate the UK’s electricity, fuel and heat, similar to the wave 2 level of 77%.
Support for individual renewable energy sources (off shore wind, biomass, onshore wind, wave and tidal and solar) was stable.
Energy Security: levels of concern largely unchanged
82% of people are concerned about steep rises in energy prices in the future, similar to 84% in wave 2.
63% are concerned about UK supplies of fossil fuels not being sufficient to meet UK demand, slightly down from 66% in wave 2.
Energy Bills & Switching: concern about energy bills down slightly
Concern about energy bills fell to 40% from 46% in wave 2. Concern about other bill types (food, transport and mortgages) fell by similar amounts. It should be noted that the weather was unusually hot during the fieldwork period.
Energy Efficiency: no change in energy saving behaviours
The number of people giving a lot (23%) or a fair amount (51%) of thought to saving energy in the home is unchanged since wave 2.
Three quarters of people (75%) try at least sometimes to keep rooms they are not using at a cooler temperature, unchanged since wave 2 (76%).
43% of people say they leave the heating on at least sometimes when they go out for a few hours, similar to 44% in wave 2.
Nuclear Energy: views remain mixed overall
More than a third of people (37%) support the use of nuclear energy to generate electricity in the UK, similar to 38% in wave 3, when the question was first asked. Overall, views remain split, with 27% opposed and 34% neither supporting nor opposing its use.
Radioactive Waste (new questions): low public awareness levels
81% of people know little or nothing about the way the UK disposes of radioactive waste.
56% of people have never heard of Geological Disposal Facilities and 20% are aware of them but don't really know what they are.
Visit the DECC website for full details.
