ComRes interviewed 2,058 GB adults online between 5th and 7th September 2014. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+.
Date Published: 11 Sep 2014
Description
National energy survey raises concerns: people think they know more about energy issues than they really do
A nationally representative survey of 2,058 British adults conducted by ComRes on behalf of the National Energy Foundation throws light on how much the British public really knows about energy. Most significantly, only a quarter (23%) of British adults were able to identify the policy that scientists say is the fastest and most effective way of meeting our energy needs (using less energy) by reducing energy demand and improving energy efficiency.
Other significant findings include:
- Only half (50%) of those surveyed correctly identified which type of light bulb uses the least energy (LED) and 35% incorrectly thought that low voltage halogen lights use the least.
- Only one in ten (11%) adults say that they know how much energy their workplace uses; while eight out of ten believe that private employers (79%) and the government (76%) should provide training and education to teach the public to use energy more efficiently. This compares to the six in ten (57%) who believe that technology will solve our energy problems.
- Although three in five British adults (58%) say they feel well-informed about energy issues, the same proportion (59%) also don’t know that the majority of the UK’s electricity supply comes from fossil fuels.
ComRes interviewed 2,058 GB adults online between 5th and 7th September 2014. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18+.