Belgians give thumbs up to renewable energy

More than seven out of ten Belgians say they are in favour of renewable energy as the way forward after the closure of the last Belgian nuclear power plants in 2025, according to a survey conducted by the IPSOS market research company.

Respondents to the survey say that they support renewable energy because it can be produced locally, cheaply and does not generate hazardous waste or CO2 emissions. Of those surveyed, 85% said that wind energy ought to contribute substantially to the electricity supply in Belgium. One thousand people took part in the survey, carried out between 18 and 20 March 2014. The renewable energy federations EDORA, ODE and BOP said the survey sent out a strong message to politicians to continue the development of wind energy.