A new survey published by the European Commission on attitudes to technology shows Europeans are extremely positive about wind energy.
People were asked whether particular technologies ‘will improve our way of life in the 20 years’, ‘will have no effect’, or ‘will make things worse’, The technologies covered included wind energy.
84% of the respondents said they were positive towards wind energy, with just 4% saying they were negative. Out of the eight technologies included in the results, only solar power got a fractionally more positive reaction, with 87% positive and, like wind, 4% negative.
It is interesting to compare attitude to wind energy to nuclear, which got a divided reaction: 39% positive and 39% negative.
Indeed, the survey highlights that people are more optimistic about wind energy than any of the other technologies covered, with the exception of solar energy.
“We have seen time and again how positive people feel towards wind energy,” said Julian Scola, EWEA’s Communication Director. “And we always get a fantastic response to the many activities organised around Global Wind Day. The survey confirms again that Europe’s citizens really appreciate the wind and the clean, infinite power it provides.”
The document also examines attitudes over time. Wind and solar energy are two of the only three of the technologies covered in an “index of optimism” which have gone up over the last few years. Three others – nanotechnology, computers and biotechnology – have seen people’s optimism decrease.
The eight technologies covered in the survey are: nuclear energy, nanotechnology,space exploration, biotechnology and genetic engineering, brain and cognitive enhancement, computers and information technology, wind energy and solar energy.
( ewea )
[mappress]
Source: ewea, February 07, 2011