FIGURES showing widespread public support for the use of onshore wind to
produce energy have been welcomed by environmental campaigners.
A government survey reveals overall support for renewables remains high,
with almost eight in 10 people backing the clean technologies and just one
in 25 against.
Only one per cent of respondents said they strongly opposed renewables.
The figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy specifically show that 71 per cent of people back onshore wind,
while 75 per cent are in favour of offshore wind and 82 per cent support
solar.
Fabrice Leveque, climate and energy policy officer at WWF Scotland, said:
“This survey provides yet more evidence to politicians that the majority of
people across the UK support the use of onshore wind.
“Scotland already produces more than 57 per cent of our electricity from
renewables. With the right policies in place the Scottish Government can
build on that and set a 50 per cent renewables target for all our energy
needs, across the electricity, heat and transport sectors, by 2030.
“Independent research has shown that such a target is not only needed but
that it is achievable.”
The UK Government survey of 2,080 households also saw support for nuclear
energy fall to 33 per cent from 36 per cent three months earlier.
Public support for fracking has also fallen to new lows, with just 17 per
cent of people backing the process of extracting shale gas.
Niall Stuart, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “This UK
Government survey provides yet more evidence that onshore wind is not only
one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation, but also that it is
hugely popular with the public.
“Together with solar, onshore wind is the most cost-effective technology we
have to reduce the CO2 emitted by our power sector.
“Already more than 57 per cent of Scotland’s electricity comes from
renewable sources and we believe that the public’s support for the use of
onshore wind should be reflected in future government policy.”
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