71% of UK households willing to adopt microgeneration

According to a survey, most households across Britain would consider installing an on-site microgeneration technology which utilizes green renewable energy if financial grants were bigger.

The survey result shows that 64 per cent thinks that the UK government’s plan to provide feed-in tariffs was not adequately ambitious. On the other hand, 71 per cent said that they will consider installing clean energy systems if they were given sufficient incentives. The study, which involves 2,100 adult respondents, was commissioned by Friends of the Earth, Co-operative Group and Renewable Energy Association.

When Britons were told that a government study shows that the UK can locally generate one-third of its power from renewable energy systems, 70 per cent of the respondents said that they are prepared and willing to pay an extra 10 pence on their electricity bills each month or about £1.20 annually in addition to the proposed £1.17 power rate increase.

When respondents were informed that the UK government plans to import 80 per cent of its needed natural gas by 2020, 88 per cent of them agreed that the UK government should spend more of its finances in mounting renewable energies that would help make the country less dependent from overseas sources. Meanwhile, when told that the UK produces the least renewable energy out of the 27 EU countries, 82 per cent commented that the country’s record was unacceptable.

Of all respondents, 79 per cent agreed that the UK government should invest in renewable energy to create more jobs, reduce reliance from overseas supplies and combat climate change.