A new YouGov poll commissioned by the Solar Trade Association reveals that subsidies for solar power are 22 times less than people think.
The £1 solar rescue plan – solar industry presents government with a plan to save the solar market
On average, respondents who had a view estimated that solar accounts for £196 per year – but in reality subsidy for solar only accounts for £9 on an average household bill of £1,300 a year. While the median estimate was £100, many respondents said they didn’t know.
A survey on wind power earlier this year found that perceptions of the cost of wind were equally high.
‘The government has justified the cuts to solar and renewables on the basis of reducing costs on bills, but hasn’t told people that the cost of getting solar subsidy-free – a breakthrough achievement – is relatively modest.
‘This survey shows that solar is cheaper than many people think, and that the perception of the cost of solar on bills has become grossly inflated. We need to put this right.’
Paul Barwell, CEO of the Solar Trade Association
The Department of Energy and Climate Changehas released the results of its own latest opinion poll on public attitudes to energy. The regular opinion poll found yet again that, at 80%, solar is the nation’s favourite source of energy – higher than every other renewable or conventional energy technology.
In addition a ComRes survey for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) last week also showed that public support for renewables subsidies is at 83%, with solar in particular having 73% support.
The Solar Trade Association’s poll comes as the government is due to make its final decision later this year on how much to cut Feed-in Tariff subsidies for solar.
This summer, the Department of Energy and Climate Change published proposals to slash tariffs by up to 87% and set stringent caps on the maximum amount of solar that can be deployed.
The Solar Trade Association has put forward a ‘£1 emergency solar rescue plan’, which has been backed by 30 MPs from all political parties, including several Conservatives.
The plan would only add an extra £1 per year to average household energy bills from 2019 for new solar deployed over the next three years. This would generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 875,000 homes.
Click here to red the full results of the Solar Trade Association’s poll.
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