mer, 31 mai 2023
(Keystone SDA) Electricity from sun, wind or water power: the Swiss population supports the strong expansion of renewable energy sources. According to a survey, security of supply has top priority over climate protection and affordable electricity prices.
“The energy crisis, the sometimes hefty increases in electricity prices and the risk of an energy shortage shaped last year and the winter that has come to an end,” said a statement by the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (VSE) on Wednesday.
However, the extraordinary circumstances did not change the approval for the current energy policy course, as can be seen from a representative survey by the research institute gfs.bern on behalf of the association. In April, the research institute gfs.bern surveyed 1003 eligible voters throughout Switzerland.
The proportion of respondents who agree somewhat or very much with the current Swiss energy policy rose by 3 percentage points to 59% compared to the previous year. However, 68% think the energy transition is progressing too slowly. A majority of 52% is also of the opinion that the energy transition is not too expensive.
The greatest concern for those surveyed, as in 2022, is security of energy supply. About 49% weigh it as their most important concern, 5 percentage points less than in the previous year. The population is aware of the difficulty of balancing interests. A quarter give priority to climate-neutral energy generation, around one in five cites an affordable electricity price.
Supporters of the SVP, at 62%, put security of supply in the foreground most clearly. The supporters of SP and GLP weight climate neutrality (40.2%) and security of supply (40.5%) about equally. Only those supporting the Greens do not name safety as the first priority at 23.3%, but rather climate neutrality at 68.9%.
In the interest of security of supply, 69% are in favor of restricting the possibility of appeals against energy projects, 1 percentage point less than in 2022. More than 80% can imagine subsidies and tax incentives 81%.
The support for the photovoltaic expansion on existing infrastructure such as dam walls as well as on roofs and facades is unbroken. Specifically, 97% support it. Nearly 90% support the expansion of hydropower and 76% support wind power.
However, the population is less convinced of large solar systems in the mountains and in open spaces (54%). Even if one’s own view is affected, approval falls: only 56% want to see wind turbines from their own balcony.
Nuclear power plays no role for the population in the future energy system, the survey further shows. Neither the construction of new nuclear power plants of the most modern generation, such as those currently being built in France and Finland (34%), nor the fourth generation, which is currently being researched and developed (43%), finds a majority among the respondents.
About 65% of Swiss people do not want a new nuclear power plant, even if it would prevent numerous new power plants, such as wind turbines, solar panels in the mountains or dam walls.
Cet article a été reproduit avec l'autorisation de Keystone SDA.
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