UK Consumers Tell DECC They Trust Solar The Most

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has released figures showing how solar remains the firm favourite in the heart of the UK consumer but are losing faith in fracking. DECC released the most recent version of their public attitude tracker survey that is aimed to give a clear indication of the UK consumer perception and reaction to energy. The studies are run on a quarterly basis and often reflect seasonal variation. Even taking that into account solar continues to grow in popularity.

What makes the attitude to renewable energy more impressive is a corresponding increase in awareness of renewable energy processes and efforts with more than ¾ of the population stating they were aware of and supported renewable energy increases.

The recent questionnaire was the tenth wave of data and was collected at the end of June 2014 using face-to-face in-home interviews with a representative sample of 2,087 households in the UK.

The feedback revealed that renewable energy maintained its high level of support in the community with 79% of UK adults saying they supported the use of renewable energy sources to generate the UK's electricity, fuel and heat, a similar proportion to March 2014 (80%) and December 2013 (77%).

Support for individual levels of renewable energy source were lower than the previous report but comparable to the same time last year, suggesting seasonal variation impacts the response, however slightly. Solar remained the renewable energy source most trusted with 82% of respondents answering favourably. Other renewable sources were also supported by the majority but there was variation as follows. Off-shore wind (72%), biomass (60%), onshore wind (67%), wave and tidal (73%). For all technologies there was an increase in those that neither supported nor opposed these developments.

Other energy sources did not fair so well in the public eye with 74% stating they had some awareness of shale gas but only 24% of people said they support shale gas extraction which is a decline since the previous waves (29% in March 2014 and 28% in December 2013). Almost half (47%) say they neither support nor oppose it, and a quarter are opposed (24%).

There was a decline in support for nuclear energy to generate electricity in the UK (36%) from that reported in March 2014 (42%), however there is little change to that reported in June 2013 (37%) so this may be a seasonal effect. Level of knowledge of how the UK manages radioactive waste has declined with 15% now reporting they know a lot or a little and 85% saying they knew not very much or nothing at all, compared to respective figures of 19% and 81% for last year.

Three quarters of people (75%) responding stated they though a fair amount about energy savings in the home which is a similar level for the last two years. There has however, been a decline in the number of people who leave their heating on at least occasionally when they go out 42% compared to 46% in March 2014.

Consumers were not as concerned about national power cuts and over two thirds were aware of renewable heat systems with nearly 50% considering such a unit. There was however an increase lack of knowledge regarding specific renewable heat measures with biomass boiler at 53%, air source heat pump at 67%, ground source heat pump 63% and replacing old boiler with condensing boiler only 18%.