Turbine ‘favoured over gas well’
More than two-thirds of people would rather have a wind turbine near their house than a shale gas well, a survey has found.
Asked to choose between having a turbine put up or a well drilled to extract unconventional shale gas within two miles of their home, 67% opted for the renewable energy source and just 11% favoured the gas development.
The ICM poll of 2,027 people also found that more of those questioned would support wind power near their home than oppose it, with 49% saying they would be likely to back turbines within two miles and 22% likely to be against them.
Young people were more likely to support a wind turbine nearby, with 64% of 18 to 24-year-olds in favour of the technology.
Overall, more than two-thirds (68%) of those quizzed said they were likely to support renewable projects, including wind turbines, in their area if they were owned by the community with the profits benefiting local people.
A majority of people in all age groups supported community-owned renewables.
Renewable energy topped the poll of people’s most preferred electricity source, with solar the most popular, followed by hydropower and offshore wind. Only a small number of those quizzed (4%) said onshore wind was their most preferred electricity source, but it was favoured above coal and shale gas.
The survey comes amid strong opposition within the Conservative Party to onshore wind and growing support for shale gas development in the UK, including the promise of tax breaks for the fledgling industry.
Shale gas, which is being widely exploited in the US, is extracted through “fracking” or fracturing the rock using high pressure liquid to release gas, but it has raised concerns about drinking water contamination and minor earthquakes.
The Co-operative, which commissioned the survey, is also warning about the impact of exploiting a new fossil fuel source on efforts to cut carbon emissions to tackle climate change.
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