The UK’s general public is overwhelmingly supportive in building new wind and solar farms in order to tackle the ongoing cost of energy crisis, according to Survation.
Identified within polling released by Survation and commissioned by RenewableUK, the data showcased that almost every constituency in the UK is in favour of developing renewable generation sites in a bid to reduce the cost of energy.
In fact, 77% of people in the UK believe the government should use new wind and solar farms to reduce electricity bills, with 76% of people also in support of building renewable energy projects in their local area, according to Survation’s data.
This contradicts the new prime Minister, Liz Truss’ previous statement about solar farms being “paraphernalia”, as in fact the majority of the general public thoroughly support the development of these farms to tackle the energy crisis.
Causing a further headache for Truss is the fact that 84% of those who backed the Tories at the last election now urge the government to use new wind and solar farms to cut electricity bills. 81% of 2019 Tory voters also support a renewable energy project being developed in their local area.
Along with this, 68% of the public polled want the new Conservative party leader to increase or maintain investment in renewables, compared to just 14% who want to see investment reduced. 40% of people also stated they would be less favourable to the new regime should it weaken climate change policies.
“These findings are wake-up call to every politician, including the new Prime Minister, that the overwhelming majority of people want to see new investment in renewables and are happy to see new wind and solar farms built in their local area to drive energy bills down,” said Dan McGrail, chief executive of RenewableUK.
“At a time when we need to shift from expensive gas to low-cost renewables as rapidly as possible, most people agree that if local communities support having a wind farm nearby, the Government shouldn’t stand in their way.”
The polling data also saw popularity among renewable technologies. 81% of voters were in favour of solar energy, 76% of people back offshore wind, 74% are in favour of onshore wind and 72% are in favour of tidal and wave power.
Truss revealed new measures today designed to tackle the energy crisis, including announcing that the price cap is to be set at £2,500 for two years from October onwards.
“Decades of short-term thinking on energy has failed to focus enough on securing supply – with Russia’s war in Ukraine exposing the flaws in our energy security and driving bills higher. I’m ending this once and for all,” Prime Minister Liz Truss said as she addressed the House of Commons for the first time in her new role.
Earlier this year, RenewableUK published its new manifesto for a fully decarbonised electricity system by 2035, setting out key measures such as market and regulatory reforms needed to cut emissions.
The report urged the government to act in order to accelerate the pace and scale of decarbonisation dramatically, to reduce the UK’s exposure to the volatile international gas market by expanding domestic renewable generation and rapidly develop a green hydrogen industry.
