Renewables vs. nuclear: surveys offer contrasting picture [de]

Close to 80% of EU citizens back renewable energies as their preferred alternative to high-priced oil and gas imports, according to a public opinion survey. Nuclear power scores poorly with 12%.

Governments should develop renewable energies and do more research in new technologies to reduce energy dependency, according to a Eurobarometer survey published on 24 January.

Forty seven per cent of those surveyed believe that the EU is the best suited level of decision-making to respond to energy challenges posed by high oil prices, global warming, and the security of energy supply issue. However, 37% said they thought the national level was the best suited level to take such decisions. The UK and Finland are the most eurosceptic with 66% and 67% respectively who think their national governments are in the best position to respond to these challenges.

Solar power ranked first (48%) among citizen's preferred alternative to imported energy sources while wind (31%) ranked third, totalling almost 80% for renewable energy sources. Promoting research in new energy technologies such as hydrogen and clean coal ranked second (41%) in citizen's single preferred alternative to reduce Europe's dependency on imports. 

Regulating oil markets does not seem like a good option for most of those surveyed (only 23% support it) while nuclear power ranks last in the list with only 12% backing it as their preferred alternative source of energy.

But the survey also shows a majority of people (54%) are not yet ready to pay more for renewable energies, with opposition reaching 66% in EU-10 countries. However 27% are prepared to do so provided the price increase is limited to 5%. Opposition was lowest (below 50%) in Northern European countries (Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands) as well as in the UK, Spain and France.

Positions

Foratom, the trade association for the nuclear energy industry in Europe, said the Eurobarometer survey "does not accurately reflect the true state of public perceptions about the nuclear energy option". It argues that asking people to choose from a list of solutions "inevitably results in the public choosing a wish list of options that, while perhaps highly desirable, are equally unrealistic". 

Foratom points to another Eurobarometer survey on nuclear waste, published in June 2005, which shows diverging views between EU countries. "On the one hand, there are entrenched views expressed in countries with a rigidly anti-nuclear culture, like Austria, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal. On the other hand, countries like Hungary (65%), Sweden (64%), Czech Republic (61%) Lithuania (60%), Finland (58%), France and the Netherlands (both 52%) show strong support for nuclear energy".

"We find the stated support on renewable energy and efficiency encouraging," said Mahi Sideridou, EU climate and energy policy director at Greenpeace. 

Sideridou points out that, "in countries that have experience with solar energy such as Austria, Germany, Greece and Cyprus, citizens come out very strongly in favour". Likewise, she adds, "the Danes, who have the biggest share of wind energy, are the most convinced about this technology". 

"We found Piebalgs' comment that nuclear should compete in the energy market without state aid very helpful and if this actually happens, we can wave goodbye to nuclear energy in Europe," Sideridou said.

In the UK, the government launched a wide public consultation on the country's long term energy options with the launch of an energy review on 23 January. The review raised controversy as it proposes to "look again at the role of nuclear electricity generation" in the face of rising energy prices.

Next Steps

• 8 March 2006: Expected publication date of Commission Green Paper 'A secure, competitive and sustainable Energy Policy for Europe'