SNP COMMENT ON RENEWABLE ENERGY POLL

SNP COMMENT ON RENEWABLE ENERGY POLL

The SNP have welcomed the publication of an opinion poll timed to coincide with the Scottish Renewables Annual Conference which found 62% of people would welcome large scale wind farms in their local authority, compared to 32% for nuclear and 24% for shale gas. The poll also found 80% support for hydro-electricity schemes, 78% support for solar energy and 59% for bioenergy.

Commenting, SNP MSP Mike MacKenzie who sits on the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee said:

“The clear result of this poll is that people across Scotland are enthusiastic about the enormous opportunities for jobs and investment that our renewables resources offer us. Having found a majority in favour of renewables in every part of Scotland, this poll shows that people in Scotland are firmly signed up to the Scottish Government’s ambitious target of generating the equivalent of 100% of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2020.

“As EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger made clear just a few weeks ago, Scotland can be a renewable powerhouse of Europe. People across Scotland want to make sure that we make the most of the leading role we can play and ensure that our economy benefits from the boost that renewables provides for generations to come.

“It is only because many of the key decisions on energy policy are already being made here in Scotland that we have been able to avoid some of the disastrous decisions on nuclear power being taken south of the border, allowing us to harness Scotland’s vast renewables potential to become an energy powerhouse in Europe.”