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Switched on or switched off? Public attitudes to
the UK’s energy challenges
15/10/2013 Edward Langley, Head of Environment Research, Ipsos MORI
Antonia Dickman, Associate Director, Ipsos MORI
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What we will cover today
What the public think about the…
1. Key challenges facing the UK energy
sector
2. Acceptability of renewables and nuclear
as a way of meeting the UK’s energy
supply needs
3. Willingness to help address energy
demand issues and the levers to
encourage behaviour change
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We will discuss findings from a range of research studies
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What do the public think about
the key challenges facing the
energy sector?
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Government and industry face significant challenges
Low carbon
economy
Energy
security
Climate change
mitigation
Affordable
supply
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91%
4% 5%
The public believe the climate is changing and are
concerned, but the proportions are falling Q. As far as you know, do you personally think the world’s climate is changing, or not?
2013 2010 2005
Bases: 2013: 973 British adults, aged 15 and over, 8th - 26th March 2013; 2010:
1,822 British adults, aged 15 and over, 6th January - 26th March 2010; 2005:
1,491 British adults, aged 15 and over, 1st October – 6th November 2005
Q. How concerned, if at all, are you about climate change, sometimes referred to as
‘global warming’?
60% 71% 82%
% Yes
% No
% Don’t know
78%
15%
6%
72%
19%
9%
Source: Nuclear Power, Ipsos MORI/Cardiff
University/UKERC, 2013
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Source: The Sun, 22nd Jan 2013
Why has there been a fall in concern?
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It’s the Economy stupid!
Q. What do you see as the most/other important issues facing Britain today?
Base: 967 British adults 18+, 8th – 12th August 2013 Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index
Top mentions %
Economy
Race relations/Immigration
Inflation/Prices
NHS
Unemployment
Crime/Law and order
Defence/foreign affairs
Education/schools
Poverty/Inequality
Housing Environment (4%)
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Issues Facing Britain: Pollution / Environment
Q. What do you see as the most/other important issues facing Britain today?
Base: representative sample of c.1,000 British adults age 18+ each month, interviewed face-to-face in home
Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index
Cameron’s “Vote
Blue, go Green”
campaign at 2006
local elections
Buncefield Oil Depot fire – toxic cloud
reaches northern Spain
Wettest Autumn since records began –
widespread flooding across the UK
EC proposes carbon
emission cuts of 20%
by 2020
Stern
report
Cameron becomes
PM
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The environment is less of a priority across the board
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Source: Ipsos MORI Issues Index, 1996-2012
% Important issues facing Great Britain today is “Pollution/Environment”
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Public express doubts about the shift to a low carbon
economy
“Our world is changing.
In a time of recession,
investment in developing
greener forms of energy
will create new jobs and
economic opportunities.”
How many jobs?
For whom? Not for people
like me?
What about people losing
jobs in conventional energy
sector?
Version 1 | Public © Ipsos MORI Base: 2,441 British adults, aged 15 and over, 2nd-12th August 2012
Base: 2,817 British adults aged 18+ at least partly responsible
for paying household energy bills, 5th April – 2nd May 2013
*Source: Ipsos MORI / DECC
Public definitely agree there is an affordability issue
Over four in five consumers …
…are concerned about
their household
energy bills (84%*)
…want to reduce
energy usage (81%**)
**Source: Cardiff University / UKERC/ Ipsos MORI
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Security of supply is also a significant concern for Brits
Base:1,822 British adults, aged 15 and over, 6th January-26 March 2010
Supplies of fossil fuels (e.g. coal and
gas) will run out
The UK will become too dependent
on energy from other countries
% Concerned that in the future…
Source: Cardiff University / UKERC / Ipsos MORI
78%
81%
But climate change or not, fossil fuels
are going to run out. So I do use low
energy bulbs. I have double glazing,
insulation and cavity walls. There is not
much more I can do … other than train
myself to put only one cup in the kettle.
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5856
505050
4239
3636
3535
3330
282727
252323
1912
87
4
SwedenGermany
Great BritainJapan
USASouth Korea
AustraliaSouth Africa
SpainBelgium
ItalyCanadaPolandFranceChina
TurkeyHungary
ArgentinaIndonesia
Saudi ArabiaIndia
MexicoRussia
Brazil
Base: Between 500-1010 respondents per country, February 2 - 14 2011
Q. What are the three most important environmental issues in your country? % Future energy sources and supplies
Source: Ipsos Global @dvisor
Brits care much more than most about energy security
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What does this mean for public perceptions of
energy challenges?
What does this mean for public perceptions of the steps
we need to take to address the UK’s energy challenges?
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How acceptable are renewables
and nuclear as a way of
meeting the UK’s energy
supply needs?
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While renewables are favoured over fossil fuels,
support has declined
Solar
Hydro
Wind
Gas
Biomass
Nuclear
Oil
Coal
Bases: 2013: 973 British adults, aged 15 and over, 8th - 26th March 2013; 2010:
1,822 British adults, aged 15 and over, 6th January - 26th March 2010; 2005: 1,491
British adults, aged 15 and over, 1st October – 6th November 2005
2013
2010
2005
Q. How favourable or unfavourable are your overall opinions or impressions of the
following energy sources for producing electricity currently?
% Very/fairly favourable
Source: Nuclear Power, Ipsos MORI/Cardiff
University/UKERC, 2013
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Benefits of nuclear power outweighing risks for public
Bases: 2013: 973 British adults, aged 15 and over, 8th - 26th March 2013; 2010: 1,822 British adults, aged 15
and over, 6th January - 26th March 2010; 2005: 1,491 British adults, aged 15 and over, 1st October – 6th
November 2005
28
16
13
31
38
34
2005
2010
2013
Risks outweigh benefits
Benefits outweigh risks
Q. From what you know or have heard about using
nuclear power for generating electricity in Britain, on
balance, which of these statements, if any, most closely
reflects your own opinion?
How concerned, if at all, are you about nuclear power?
% Very/fairly
concerned
Source: Nuclear Power, Ipsos MORI/Cardiff
University/UKERC, 2013
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On balance public likely to support replacing our nuclear power
stations, but some work to be done to convince more
42%
support 33%
oppose
55% agree “if we
had safer nuclear
power stations, I’d
be prepared to
support new ones
being built”
Q. To what extent do you support or oppose the
building of new nuclear power stations in Britain to
replace those being phased out over the next few
years? This would ensure that the previous
proportion of nuclear energy is retained.
Base: 973 British adults, aged 15 and over, 8th - 26th March 2013 Source: Nuclear Power, Ipsos MORI/Cardiff
University/UKERC, 2013
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54%
21%
Oppose building in local area (5 miles from home)
And still NIMBY attitude towards nuclear
Base: 2,441 British adults, aged 15 and over, 2nd-12th August 2012
Source: Energy Systems, Ipsos MORI / Cardiff University/UKERC, 2013
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Climate change may not be most effective frame for
communicating on energy choices with the public
Source: Nuclear Power, Ipsos MORI/Cardiff
University/UKERC, 2013
Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree…..
“I am willing to accept the building of new nuclear power stations if it
would help to tackle climate change”
Bases: 2013: 973 British adults, aged 15 and over, 8th - 26th March 2013; 2010: 1,822 British adults, aged 15
and over, 6th January - 26th March 2010; 2005: 1,491 British adults, aged 15 and over, 1st October – 6th
November 2005
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Public preferences for UK energy mix
• Renewables and nuclear understood to
be part of the solution
• Support for renewables is falling, however,
perhaps due to:
• increasing concern for impact on billing
• weakening concern for climate change
• Despite support, there is still public concern about safety
of nuclear power
Need to re-frame renewables as a way of tackling energy security,
and not as way of meeting climate change targets
Need balanced debate about risks posed by nuclear power
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What are the public willing to
do to help address energy
demand?
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Gas is still the default option for heating our homes
Q. If you were going to replace your current heating system, what types of
heating system would you consider to heat both your home and hot water?
Base: All GB homeowners aged 18+ who do not currently heat their home
mainly using a GSHP, ASHP, biomass boiler or heat network (2,848), 28th
August to 14th October 2012 Source: More Efficient Heating Study, Ipsos MORI / DECC, 2013
3%
81% 3%
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I think there is more I could
do to reduce the amount of
energy I use at home
I have tried to reduce the
amount of energy I use at
home
59%
74%
We do have aspirations to reduce how much we use
“I do think about how much it’s going
to cost me [and] I was brought up not
to waste things unnecessarily or using
things for the sake of using them.” Householder aged 70+, CERT evaluation (DECC/Ipsos MORI)
Base: 2,210 British adults aged 18+ at least partly responsible for paying household energy bills, 5th April – 2nd May 2013
Source: Smart meter tracker, Ipsos MORI / DECC, 2013
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…automatically
turning off if left on
standby for long time
…turning off after set
period of time (e.g. 10
mins)
…switched off by
electricity network
operator for short periods
of time
But some concern about loss of control?
% Acceptable % Unacceptable
Base: 2,441 British adults, aged 15 and over, 2nd-12th August 2012
Source: Energy Systems, Ipsos MORI / Cardiff University, UKERC, 2013
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“Mainly responsible for ensuring appropriate changes are made to UK energy
system over next 40 years”
Responsibility firmly placed on Government
Source: Energy Systems, Ipsos MORI / Cardiff University/UKERC, 2013
Base: 2,441 British adults, aged 15 and over, 2nd-12th August 2012
54%
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What levers are there to
encourage less energy
intensive behaviours?
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Behaviour occurs as an interaction between three necessary
conditions...
Source: Michie et al (2011) Implementation Science
COM-B model of behaviour change
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There are many interventions targeting these levers
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90
90
87
55
54
40
Provide information on how to livemore sustainably
Provide incentives to live moresustainably
Make companies be moresustainable
Ban the most unsustainableproducts
Make unsustainable productsmore expensive
Not get involved in whether or notpeople choose to live sustainably
Strongly / tend to support (%)
Thinking about using the planet's resources in a sustainable way (i.e. in a way that protects the quality of life of future generations), what, if anything, should Government do?
In terms of broad principles the public support the Government
providing information, incentives and direct action on business
Base: 1,014 British adults aged 16-64, surveyed online between 4th – 22nd November 2010
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31
26
22
19
18
16
15
32
Real-time information powerful tool
Base: Base varies depending on how many customers have the appliance. ‘Not
looked at RTD’ includes customers who have not received or installed their RTD.
18 November – 17 December 2010
Q. In the last six months, would you say the frequency with which you do the following behaviours has increased, decreased, stayed about the same or do you not know?
% who increased their behaviour
Turning off lights when
they aren’t needed
Turning off unused
appliances (televisions/
computers) rather than
leaving them on standby
Unplugging chargers
when they are not in use
Only boiling the kettle
with as much water as
you need
Looked at RTD
Not looked at RTD
Source: Ipsos MORI/ERA, 2010
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Consumers respond well to real-time information
“It jumps right up when I put the kettle on
from 3p to 47p so you can really see how
much it adds to your bill doing different
things.”
“I do glance at it
every time I come
to the sink.”
“You see it when
you come in and
you think 'oh yes
must turn off the
lights'. It prompts
you to keep up
with those kind of
actions.”
Source: Ipsos MORI/ERA, 2010
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9
9
9
32
31
30
25
27
28
28
27
31
5
5
2
Very interested Fairly interested Not very interested Not at all interested Don't know
There are differing levels of interest in smart meters
Base: Adults aged 18+ who are at least partly responsible for paying household energy bills and have not had a smart meter installed: Wave 1 (2,267), 30th March – 26th April 2012; Wave 2 (2,049) 5th – 20th October 2012: Wave 3 (1,984) 5th April – 2nd May 2013
Q. To what extent would you be interested, or not, in having a smart meter
installed in your home in the near future?
April
2012
Oct
2012
April
2013
Source: Smart meter tracker, Ipsos MORI / DECC, 2012/2013
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Although expected to help households budget and to avoid
wasted energy use
Source: Smart meter tracker, Ipsos MORI / DECC, 2013
Base: 2,210 British adults aged 18+ at least partly responsible for paying household energy bills, 5th April – 2nd May 2013
Q. What, if anything, do you think you would benefit from if you had a smart meter
installed in your home? (spontaneous)
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Power of social norms and trusted sources
“There were so many houses
in the area getting done...
Once you’ve seen the van you
just followed suit.” CERT customer, North Shields
“A lot more people were getting it
done, and you cannot think I’m
right and they’re all wrong.” CERT customer, North Shields
Source: CERT Evaluation, Ipsos MORI/DECC, 2011
“I knew if the council was in the
scheme there wasn’t going to be
any hidden charges.” CERT customer, North Shields
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Where does this leave us?
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Public would like our future energy system to involve…
• Renewables, and probably nuclear
• Improved energy efficiency
• Assistance budgeting and ensuring an affordable supply
But significant challenges remain…
• Gas remains most popular way to heat homes
• Reluctance to lose control of home energy use
• NIMBY attitude to nuclear
• Responsibility firmly placed on Government
Some clear preferences, but also some challenges
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Public Use
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For more information please contact:
Edward Langley
[email protected], 020 7347 3154
Antonia Dickman
[email protected], 020 7347 3157
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Ipsos MORI research for Department of Energy and Climate Change - Public Awareness,
Attitudes and Experience of Smart Meters (2013)
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchive/3033/Public-Awareness-
Attitudes-and-Experience-of-Smart-Meters.aspx
Ipsos MORI research for Department of Energy and Climate Change – Homeowners’
willingness to take up more efficient heating systems (2013)
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/publications/1612/DECC-Taking-up-more-
efficient-heating-systems.aspx
Cardiff University / Ipsos MORI research for UKERC – Transforming the UK energy system:
Public values, Attitudes and Acceptability (2013)
http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/support/article3045-New-UKERC-research-defines-values-which-
determine-public-acceptance-of-energy-system-change
Cardiff University / Ipsos MORI research for UKERC – Public Attitudes to Nuclear Power and
Climate Change in Britain Two Years after the Fukushima Accident (2013)
http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/support/article3253-British-public-split-on-nuclear-power
Links to published reports with further discussion of the findings
presented here: