Four in five people in are in favour of wind energy development, with three in five supporting wind farms for their local area.
That’s according to a new survey on perceptions and attitudes towards wind energy in Ireland.
The annual research poll, which was carried out by Interactions Research on behalf of Wind Energy Ireland, shows an increase in the number of people who support the development of wind farms in their locality.
The latest figures also show that there is a consistently high level of support for wind energy in Ireland, with favourable responses largely in line with 2022 figures.
Meanwhile a further drop in opposition to wind energy means now just one in 25 (4%) are opposed to Ireland’s chief source of renewable energy, according to the report.
Cheaper electricity, reduced carbon emissions, and positive environmental impacts were cited as the top three reasons people supported wind farms, with the role of wind energy in supporting Ireland’s energy independence also recognised as a leading benefit.
Director of external affairs at Wind Energy Ireland, Justin Moran, has welcomed the survey results:
“The results of the annual poll confirm the continuing popularity of Irish wind energy. Irish people want cheaper and cleaner power.
“They know our wind farms are the cornerstone of Irish energy independence. Last year was a record-breaking year for Ireland’s wind farms, producing more electricity than ever before.
“While consumers continued to face high energy bills, wind was critical to protect consumers from the worst effects of the fossil fuel energy crisis,” he added.
“In Ireland, we are fortunate that our natural resources give us a huge advantage in developing renewables and we should be doing everything we can to take advantage of this.”
Offshore wind
The poll also showed strong levels of support for the offshore wind sector; over three in four (78%) said they are in favour of the use of offshore wind in Ireland, with four in five acknowledging its role in delivering energy security for Ireland.
However, there was a high level of uncertainty among respondents as to whether or not Ireland is doing enough in terms of national policies to support the development of the industry – just 37% of respondents agreed, while 34% disagreed.
Commenting on these offshore figures, Justin Moran said: “These results show that Ireland overwhelmingly supports the development of Ireland’s wind energy industry.
“A recent study showed that offshore wind energy has the potential to be worth €38 billion to the Irish economy.
“We have the popular support, and we have the projects. What we need now is the skills pipeline and the planning certainty to make the most of this enormous opportunity.”
Survey
The survey was commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland to measure and track perceptions and attitudes around wind energy among Irish adults.
This year’s survey sampled a representative sample of 1,017 Irish adults together with a supplementary booster sample of 221 rural dwellers.
Fieldwork took place between November 17 and December 1, 2023.
When asked to rank the top five benefits of wind energy the responses were as follows:
- Cheaper electricity – 74%;
- Reduces CO2 emissions – 70%;
- Good for the environment – 69%;
- Supports energy independence – 52%;
- Creates employment – 46%;
- Good for local communities nearby – 37%;
- I don’t know of any benefits – 9%;
- There is no benefit – 4%.