Voters overwhelmingly support wind farms near their homes and would back nuclear power plants to beat President Putin, polling for The Times shows.
Conservative voters are just as likely to back wind farms, despite ministers’ fears about local opposition which led to the dropping of targets for new onshore wind turbines in this week’s energy security strategy.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, was forced to back away from a goal to more than double onshore wind capacity after a revolt from cabinet colleagues against technology dubbed an “eyesore” by Grant Shapps, the transport secretary. Instead the strategy promised consultations on “a limited number” of local onshore wind developments, in exchange for lower bills.
However, 72 per cent of voters say they would support the building of a wind farm in their local area, with only 17 per cent opposed. This includes 71 per cent of Tory voters backing the idea, with only 23 per cent opposed.
Wind farms are strongly backed by all ages and areas of the country and, although leave voters are less keen, still 66 per cent support them. The figure is 84 per cent for remainers.
Voters’ support for wind farms rose to 81 per cent if it meant less dependence on Russian energy, a key goal of the strategy, rising to 86 per cent among Tories. Backing is 83 per cent if cheaper bills result, a finding which government sources suggested would mean more projects getting the go-ahead as the plan aims to offer local communities discounts of 20 to 50 per cent when turbines are built.
Michael Grubb, professor of energy and climate change at University College London, said that “the narrative about people not liking wind farms always was overdone. The public are not stupid and clearly, most people appreciate the benefits of clean energy.”
He called the retreat on wind “a political sop to a group of out-of-date and out-of-touch Conservatives”, saying onshore wind was the fastest way to expand green energy and could have lowered bills significantly this winter.
But John Constable, director of the Renewable Energy Foundation, said: “Polls are one thing, reality is another; when people learn the truth about the environmental and economic costs of wind farms they turn up in droves to oppose them.
The poll of 1,826 adults on Wednesday and Thursday also found that voters were more sceptical about nuclear power, with 50 per cent opposed to a plant in their area and 34 per cent in favour. However, backing doubled to 61 per cent if it meant less dependence on Russian energy and to 67 per cent if it meant cheaper bills.
Tom Fyans, of the countryside charity CPRE, said: “‘The lukewarm response to a new generation of nuclear power stations suggests people are fully aware there’s no way they could come online fast enough to help in the immediate energy crisis, or to get us to net zero in time.”
However, he said that “what this polling shows is that renewables done well can command the support of rural communities”, saying that “appropriately located” wind farms should go ahead. “Onshore wind, as one of the cheapest and quickest sources of energy, must be in the mix,” he said. “Developers need to bring forward well thought-through schemes in collaboration with the communities who will host them.” https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/three-quarters-of-britons-would-back-a-local-wind-farm-jk2n0379z
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