The UK public likes renewables, is worried about the cost of energy
Public support for green energy remains high, with three quarters of people supporting the use of renewable power. But even more people are worried about future rises in electricity bills – and the government’s attempts to encourage more efficient use of energy doesn’t appear to be having much impact on public awareness.
High support for renewables, less for nuclear
The latest instalment of the Department for Energy and Climate Change’s public attitudes tracker survey finds that 76 per cent of respondents continue to support the use of renewable energy to generate the UK’s electricity, fuel and heat – marginally down from 79 per cent support a year ago.
Despite government support for nuclear power, the public appear less enthusiastic. Just 36 per cent of people said they supported the use of nuclear power to generate electricity in the UK, with 26 per cent opposed.
Image - DECC PT nuclear (note)
Worries about high bills
Perhaps unsurprisingly, consumers are worried about their energy bills. 84 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about steep rises in energy prices, and nearly half of respondents were either very or fairly worried about paying their energy bills.
Image - DECC PT energy bills (note)
Again, there’s little change from the figures last year. However, the polling was carried out at the end of September – before energy suppliers began announcing their latest round of price rises and just after Ed Miliband announced the Labour party would put a temporary freeze on energy bills. With the cost of energy topping the political agenda since, people may be even more concerned now.
No change in interest in energy efficiency or fuel switching
The government’s proposed solutions to high consumer energy bills don’t seem to be having much of an impact on public awareness.
Only about a third of respondents said they were considering switching energy supplier in the next twelve months – unchanged since this time last year.
Energy efficiency does seem to be in the public consciousness. While only a quarter of people said they were giving a ‘lot’ of thought to using energy more efficiently in their homes, half said they were giving it a ‘fair amount’ of thought.
Image - DECC PT energy saving (note)
But again, these figures are similar to September 2012 – which may worry the government. Its flagship energy efficiency programme the Green Deal, launched in January of this year, will only work if significant numbers of consumers are actively involved in planning for energy efficiency improvements to their home. So far, there isn’t much sign of that happening.
Ed Davey confirmed today that the government doesn’t intend to cut subsidies for renewable energy. But subsidies for energy efficiency measures are under review, notably a measure called ECO which is supposed to help the fuel poor. ECO could be cut, delayed, or paid for out of taxation.
The review may worry those working on fuel poverty, as the government is already failing to deliver on its targets in this area.
Plans to lower energy bills
The polling may well already be out of date. Since it was carried out, four out of the ‘big six’ energy companies announced prices rises, the government announced a new – expensive – nuclear deal, a political storm broke out around energy bills, and David Cameron promised to ‘roll back’ some green energy subsidies in response.
What effect has this had on public opinion? We’ll have to wait for the next survey to find out.