A new survey conducted by the UK Government has found that public support for renewable energy is at an all time high.
The recent Public Attitudes Tracking Survey published this week by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change shows that public support for renewable energy stands at an all time high of 76%, up from last quarter’s 75%. Almost more important, active opposition to renewable energy stands at a measly 5%, with only 1% considering themselves “strongly opposed.”
“The message from this latest poll is clear – ordinary people see renewables as a British success story and want to see us increasing their use further,” said Maf Smith, RenewableUK’s Deputy Chief Executive. “We hope that Ministers will look at these figures carefully and listen to what the thousands of voters who took part in this official Government poll are telling them.
“The costs of onshore and offshore wind are falling rapidly,” Smith continued. “Onshore wind is one of the cheapest of all sources of electricity, so we need it kept in the energy mix to drive our fuel bills down. Support for offshore wind remains sky-high too, and backing for renewables overall is also increasing.”
“If the Government is worried about meeting its renewable energy targets, wind can help make up the shortfall. It makes sense to reduce our dependence on imports and to tackle climate change using our superb home-grown resources.”
The report is timely for supporters of the UK’s renewable energy industry, especially in the wake of recent controversy surrounding the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Amber Rudd, who found herself embroiled in a massive backlash due to a leaked letter confirming the UK renewable energy industry’s worst fears — that the country was not on track to meet its renewable energy targets, despite widespread governmental praise to the contrary.
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