Most Brits want renewable energy solutions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

A RUK-commissioned poll of the UK general public has found that the majority of us want new clean energy and grid projects, getting frustrated when these projects are halted and blocked by objectors.

The poll, commissioned by Renewable UK and carried out by Opinium Research, shows that the vast majority of the 10,021 adults questioned want and support new, clean energy projects to go ahead, where 61% confirmed they would feel frustrated if these projects, specifically wind & solar farms, were blocked.

Alongside this, 59% of UK adults polled support the construction of new electricity grid infrastructure needed to adequately deliver renewable energy to homes & businesses across the country, where just 6% opposed.

What’s more, support for new grid infrastructure within five miles of people’s homes comes from the majority of those polled (61%) when forming part of a national programme of upgrades.

Particularly interesting findings, published mid-August 2024, these stats show just how important public opinion is to the renewable energy movement, and the impact said opinions can have in driving policies and actual solutions to the ongoing energy crisis, especially during times of need, when energy prices are especially high and low-cost energy is increasingly viewed as a necessity.

What stands out, however, is again the focus on wind & solar farms - solutions spoken of both widely and frequently within the renewable energy sphere - and the absence of Energy from Waste solutions.

Perhaps, given the fairly recent opposition to EfW plants from our previous government, these types of renewable energy solutions have temporarily fallen out of favour with the general public? Or perhaps wind & solar farms are simply seen as the easiest and quickest solutions to delivering renewable energy to the grid, and that’s why they’re more popular?

Whatever the reason, hopefully it's only a matter of time until EfWs re-enter the renewable discussion as a key driver of low-carbon energy.

Still, it’s undeniably encouraging to see public opinion of renewable energy projects reach new heights.

The real barriers to countrywide adoption of clean and renewable energy solutions, however, seem to be the state of the National Grid and how quickly this can be upgraded in order to meet the growing demands - now not just of renewable developers and investors - but seemingly of the people, too!