Public concern over energy security is waning, says Decc

Energy supply is no longer a top concern to the UK public as the issue drops into the bottom three challenges facing the UK.

According to a Department of Energy and Climate Change’s latest public attitude tracking survey, only a fifth of people still rank energy security in their top three concerns, down from nearly a third in March 2014.

The majority of respondents remain concerned about energy security, but there has been a significant drop in public concern over increased frequency of power cuts in the future, down from 61 per cent last March to 52 per cent in the same period this year.

Concern has also dropped over steep price rises, from 85 per cent to 79 per cent; energy dependence on other countries, 72 per cent from 80 per cent; and sufficient supplies of fossil fuels to cover the UK’s needs, to 64 per cent from 71 per cent.

The report shows the level of support for renewable generation is 78 per cent, consistent with the level over the last three years.

In addition, 71 per cent of the UK public agree that the renewable energy industry provides economic benefits to the UK and 78 per cent support the idea that renewable energy developments should provide direct benefit to the communities in which they are located.

Solar remains the most popular form of renewable generation at 81 per cent. However support for all the individual renewable technologies of solar, wave and tidal, offshore wind and onshore wind has decreased slightly. Biomass has however seen as slight increase.

The survey shows that nuclear generation is supported by 39 per cent of the UK public, and is opposed by 21 per cent.

Almost three quarters of the UK public are now aware of shale gas fracking, of which the level of support and opposition remains equal at a quarter of respondents.

Awareness of carbon capture and storage remains low at just 38 per cent, but of those that did know about the technology, 52 per cent support its use.