A study has revealed the vast majority of the UK public support subsidies for energy efficiency programmes.
The study, conducted by ComRes for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, revealed that 79% of those asked would support subsidies for measures that would reduce energy waste, such as by insulating homes, while just 7% were opposed to the idea.
Support for subsidies which would cut energy wastage in both homes and in power transmission was even higher at 84%. Support for renewable energy subsidies was just as high with 83% of respondents backing them.
Richard Black, director at the ECIU, said the findings highlighted the need for the government to formalise a new strategy for energy efficiency.
“Cutting waste is the cheapest and easiest way to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions, and this survey suggests it’s also the most popular.
“With insulation rates falling to their lowest level since 2013 there’s a clear rationale for ministers re-invigorating policies that cut energy waste, and one obvious approach would be to make energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority,” Black added.
The survey’s results underscore the current mood within the industry, which has had to contend with substantial policy upheaval since the Conservative Party swept to a general election victory in May this year.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change has continued to insist that there is a policy pipeline in place and that support programmes will be unveiled after chancellor George Osborne releases his energy statement later this month, but there has been no hints towards what technologies will be supported and how the policies are expected to work.
