Credit: iStock
Just eight per cent of public voice opposition to transition away from fossil fuel energy sources, according to new research published today
A new poll has again underlined the continued strong support for Britain's green energy transition among the public, with two-thirds of those quizzed favouring a shift away from fossil fuel towards renewable energy sources.
Non-profits Climate Outreach and More in Common polled over 2,000 adults across England, Scotland, and Wales this summer for their views on the energy transition and the planned closure of Britain's last remaining coal-fired power plant in Nottinghamshire, which officially shuts down today.
The survey shows 65 per cent support for shifting energy production away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy, while only eight per cent said they opposed the transition.
It also found 77 per cent said they wanted to see an expansion in rooftop solar panels across the UK, 69 per cent said they supported the development of more solar farms, 70 per cent said they wanted more offshore wind, and 65 per cent said they supported more onshore wind projects.
At the same time, 66 per cent said they wanted to see more investment in retraining and supporting people working in the coal, oil, and gas sectors as the transition away from fossil fuels gathers pace in the UK.
Meanwhile, 45 per cent of respondents said they regarded the closure of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal power as a positive, more than double the 19 per cent who saw it as a negative.
The findings align with the results of various focus group sessions carried out by the charities in key constituencies around the UK, from Clacton-on-Sea in Essex to the Tees Valley in the North East of England, all of which point to broad support for the clean energy transition, according to Climate Outreach.
However, the research also highlighted concerns among the public about the potential costs that might result from installing household green energy measures such as solar panels.
Rachel Orr, CEO of Climate Outreach, said the research findings demonstrated "there's a future of clean energy ahead for our country - and it's a future that Brits are increasingly keen to see".
"The vast majority of us are now big fans of renewable energy - and there's an opportunity to power a cleaner and more energy-secure future," she added. "As we move away from fossil fuels, people want to see investment in supporting and retraining workers."
The findings come as the government presses ahead with its ambitious target to deliver a clean power system across the UK by 2030, driven by an overhaul of planning rules and the launch of a new publicly-owned clean energy investment firm under the banner GB Energy.
"The government is right to be ambitious about clean power and net zero - and the public is largely behind them," said Orr. "To deliver this next chapter, they must support workers, communities and the country as a whole to be a part of the coming change."
You can now sign up to attend the fifth annual Net Zero Festival, which will be hosted by BusinessGreen on October 22-23 at the Business Design Centre in London.
