Energy Issues Research

Energy & Environment

Research by MORI for EDF Energy shows that the British public places great emphasis on combating global warming: 79% agree that the most important thing is to reduce global warming by producing less carbon dioxide. They also value self sufficiency for the UK — 83% would like us to aim to be self sufficient in energy. However there is a weaker consensus over how these aims should be achieved.

 

Research by MORI for EDF Energy shows that the British public places great emphasis on combating global warming: 79% agree that the most important thing is to reduce global warming by producing less carbon dioxide. They also value self sufficiency for the UK — 83% would like us to aim to be self sufficient in energy. However there is a weaker consensus over how these aims should be achieved.

The public accepts, albeit reluctantly, that nuclear energy has a place in the overall energy balance (54% agree). A majority (55%) also agree that the best solution to the future "energy gap" would be to replace existing nuclear power stations with new ones at the same time as expanding renewable energy sources such as wind power. This is despite the overall unpopularity of nuclear energy, which is, on balance, more likely to be unfavourably than favourably regarded. There is majority support for relaxing planning regulations to make it easier to build wind farms (57% agree) though changing the regulations to make it easier to build nuclear power stations is more controversial. While more agree than disagree (39% agree, 25% disagree), it is somewhat short of majority support. Wind farms are the most popular means of energy generation, particularly if built offshore; 72% support them onshore, 78% offshore.

Overall, the public now shows a high level of interest in these matters: 65% are very or fairly interested in where Britain's electricity will come from in future.

Technical details

Ipsos interviewed a quota sample of 1,931 adults aged 15+, representative of the population of Great Britain between 21 and 27 October 2005. Fieldwork was conducted using computer assisted personal interviewing. Data were weighted to the national population profile.

Topline Findings

  • 1,931 British adults aged 15+, representative of the population at a national and regional level
  • Interviewed face-to-face using CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing)
  • Fieldwork carried out by Ipsos between 21st and 27th October 2005
  • Data is weighted to represent the population
  • Where results do not sum to 100%, this may be due to computer rounding or multiple responses
  • An asterisk (*) indicates a percentage of less than 0.5% but greater than zero

Q1 What would you say are the most important issues facing Britain today?

  %
Crime/law & order/violence/vandalism 44
Defence/foreign affairs/international terrorism 22
Education/schools 21
Race relations/immigration/immigrants 21
Drug abuse 19
National Health Service/Hospitals 19
Global warming/climate change 13
Housing 10
Local government/council tax 9
Economy/economic situation 8
Pensions/social security 8
Pollution/environment 8
Morality/individual behaviour 7
Petrol prices 7
Poverty/inequality 7
Unemployment/factory closure/lack of industry 7
AIDS 5
Inflation/prices 5
Taxation 5
Animal welfare 4
Common Market/EU/Europe/EURO/Constitution 4
Low pay/minimum wage/fair wages 4
Transport/public transport 4
Public services in general 4
Nuclear weapons/disarmament 4
Energy 4
Countryside/rural life 3
Beef/BSE/Mad Cow Disease 2
Tsunami/South East Asia 2
GM/GM (Genetically Modified) foods 2
Nuclear energy 2

Mentions by less than 2% excluded

Q2 In which of these areas are you aware of major challenges facing Britain and the British Government?

  %
Health care 68
Law and order 64
Immigration 61
Education 58
Pensions 49
Energy 37
Transport 37
DK/none of these 4

Q3 What would you say is your level of interest in each of the following issues that I am about to read out?

  Very interested Fairly interested Not very interested Not at all interested No opinion
  % % % % %
Global warming and climate change 32 39 15 7 7
Where Britain's electricity will come from in future 28 37 18 8 9
Nuclear energy 17 32 25 15 11
Renewable energy (such as wind, solar or wave power) 28 39 16 9 8

Q4 How favourable or unfavourable are your overall opinions or impressions of the following energy sources for producing electricity currently?

  Very favourable Mainly favourable Neither favourable nor unfavourable Mainly unfavourable Very unfavourable Never heard of it No opinion / Don't know
  % % % % % % %
Coal fired power stations 6 19 28 22 12 2 11
Gas fired power stations 7 29 29 15 6 2 13
Nuclear power stations 7 21 25 17 17 1 12
Wind "farms" 29 37 16 5 3 1 9

Q5 All methods of electricity generation have some sort of disadvantage. For each of the disadvantages I read out could you please tell me which of the methods of electricity generation on this card it applies to in your opinion? You may mention as many as you like.

  Coal Gas Nuclear energy Wind Power None of these Don't know
  % % % % % %
The price of the fuel is not stable 28 57 17 6 3 23
The supply of the fuel is not secure (for example, it comes from unreliable or unfriendly countries) 26 41 20 4 4 26
The cost is too high 23 41 31 9 3 24
The question of safety 11 20 69 8 2 12
Disposing of waste products 19 13 64 2 2 17
Spoils the landscape 28 14 29 39 8 15
Causes global warming by giving out carbon dioxide 52 43 24 2 2 16
Does not work continuously all the time 8 7 7 60 3 21
Vulnerable to terrorist attack 11 22 76 9 2 13
Causes dangerous pollution 47 36 53 2 2 11

Q6 Most of Britain's older nuclear power stations and some coal power stations will come to the end of their useful lives by about 2020. This will leave a substantial gap which will need to be filled by new power stations. Were you aware of this issue?

  %
Yes 43
No 54
Don't know 3

Q7 I'd like to ask which kinds of power station should be built to contribute to filling this energy gap, in your view. For each type of power station I read out please tell me if you would support or oppose it being built?

  Strongly support Tend to support Neither support nor oppose Tend to oppose Strongly oppose Don't know
  % % % % % %
Coal power stations (if carbon emissions can be removed and safely stored) 14 40 21 13 5 7
Nuclear power stations to replace the old ones being phased out 10 25 23 21 14 6
Gas power stations 9 38 28 14 4 7
Wind farms on the land 33 39 15 5 3 6
Wind farms off the coast 43 35 11 4 2 5

Q8 To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of these statements about electricity generation?

  Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree No opinion
  % % % % % %
The UK should aim to be self sufficient in energy 50 33 9 2 1 6
Nuclear energy has disadvantages but the country needs it as part of the energy balance, with coal, gas and wind power 16 38 21 9 5 11
The best solution is to replace nuclear power stations with new ones and expand renewables like wind power at the same time 18 37 18 11 5 11
The most important thing is to stop any building of nuclear power stations 14 24 23 19 11 10
The most important thing is to reduce global warming by producing less carbon dioxide 44 35 11 2 1 7
Nuclear energy produces very little carbon dioxide 15 26 24 7 2 26
Planning regulations should be changed to make it easier to build nuclear power stations on the same sites as old ones 10 29 22 14 11 14
Planning regulations should be changed to make it easier to build wind farms on land 21 36 18 10 5 9

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