Young Adults Prefer Offshore Wind To Fracking

According to leading market research company Ipsos MORI who have recently conducted a new poll, there are more young people in favour of offshore wind development than there are in favour of fracking.

The poll, commissioned by the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Economic and Social Research Council, shows that 85% of 16-24 year olds support the development of offshore wind farms, while only 47% support carbon capture and storage and 42% support fracking.

The public survey was part of the ‘Public Attitudes to Science 2014’ survey (PDF), based on face-to-face interviews with adults aged 16 and up combined with a booster survey focused on 16-24 year olds conducted throughout the middle of 2013. 1,749 adults were interviewed.

“It’s heartening to see fresh evidence of strong support for offshore wind energy among young people,” said RenewableUK’s Director of Offshore Renewables, Nick Medic. “This is an increasingly important technology for our future and it’s clear that the young people of Britain recognise this.”

Respondents were also believe that offshore wind has a positive effect on the UK’s economy, with 70% saying that it did. Interestingly, with regards to offshore wind’s overall influence, those in the 16-24 bracket were more likely to approve of offshore wind than the remainder of the survey’s adult population — 70% and 53% respectively.

“As the UK is the world leader in this dynamic sector, the enthusiasm of this age group for offshore wind will help us to secure the enormous economic prize – something that young people were also positive about in this survey,” Medic continued.

“It’s partly to do with open-mindedness and better levels of awareness among young people. They view old-school fossil fuels less favourably than renewables, and they’re right to do so, on the grounds of long-term cost as well as the damaging impact of high-carbon fuel sources on the environment, now and for generations to come.”