Sustainable Opinion
Government poll shows growing
public opposition to fracking
New UK opinion survey reveals higher support for renewables amid rising energy concerns
By Stuart Qualtrough
T he ever-increasing gap
between public support
for renewable energy
and fracking has been
confirmed by the latest
Government opinion survey.
Pollsters found that 80% of
adults said they were in favour of
using renewable energy to provide
the UK’s electricity, fuel and heat.
However, only 29% said they
supported the extraction of shale
gas and an increasing percentage
said they were opposed.
The survey of more than 2,000
people conducted in March also
found a drop in the number of
people who strongly supported
fracking, while the percentage
who strongly opposed it had risen.
Despite Government reluctance
to provide consistent support, 70%
of people said they support the
development of onshore wind – the
highest figure since DECC’s regular
opinion polls began in March 2012.
A record-breaking number also
Public survey finds strong opposition to shale gas is on the increase
support offshore wind, at 77%.
Wave and tidal energy remains
popular at 77%, matching its
previous highest levels of support.
In a further show of support, 70%
think renewables bring economic
benefits to the UK, against 47% for
nuclear; 80% are concerned about
UK dependence on energy imports,
and 75% believe the Government
is not investing fast enough in
alternative energy sources.
With 12 months to go until the
next General Election, the figures
confirm the Coalition Government’s
determination to push through
onshore shale gas exploration is out
of step with voters’ opinion.
RenewableUK’s chief executive,
Maria McCaffery, said: “This poll
should serve as a clear wake-up call
for the Conservatives. When they
announced a moratorium on all
future onshore wind projects last
week, they seriously miscalculated
the public’s mood, and they’ll pay
heavily for that at the ballot box.”
DECC’s third annual Public
Attitudes Tracker also found 42% of
UK adults support nuclear energy, a
significant increase compared with
38% in September 2012, when the
question was first asked.
Opposition to nuclear energy
also fell significantly over the same
period, from 27% in September
2012 to 20% in March 2014.
Friends of the Earth’s head of
campaigns, Andrew Pendleton,
commented: “It’s little surprise that
shale gas is supported by less than
three in ten people. Over-hyped
fracking poses a significant threat
to local communities across the UK,
will do little to tackle climate
change and experts warn that it
won’t lead to cheaper fuel bills.”
Energy security and climate
change are now ranked joint
fourth in a list of the biggest
challenges facing the UK today,
up from eighth and ninth places
respectively in March 2012.
Sustainable Energy
Key to renewables potential of Scottish Islands
By Anna Wright
The huge renewable energy
potential of the Western Isles,
Orkney and Shetland Islands is a
step closer to being unlocked as
a new report, prepared by
independent consultants Xero
Energy, identifies a series of
actions to help deliver necessary
electricity grid connections.
Both the Scottish and UK
Governments recognise the
contribution renewable energy
generation on these remote
islands could make to 2020
renewables targets and longerterm climate change ambitions.
The report, commissioned
jointly by the two governments,
is part of ongoing collaborative
Islands like Skye to get grid boost
efforts to support the
development of renewable
energy projects on the three
Scottish island groups and
deliver jobs, investment and
wider community benefits.
The report’s key findings,
which will be considered by the
inter-governmental Scottish
Islands Renewables Group,
include issues relating to:
• Certainty for developers around
the longevity of the support that
underpins the business cases for
grid developments
• Stability of grid charges
• Loan guarantees
• Research funding support for
grid connections for marine
technologies
• Continuation of the intergovernmental island steering
group to oversee coordination
and delivery of support provisions.
UK Energy Secretary, Ed Davey,
said: “We have already made
more progress in the last year
than for many years, after the
UK Government announced last
De