Energy Sources McNair Gallup Poll

A McNair Gallup Poll [http://www.mcnairingenuity.com/] on the development of energy sources in Australia was carried out in August 1978. The same poll was conducted again 28 years later by McNair Ingenuity Research [http://www.mcnairingenuity.com/] in August 2006. The poll asked a representative sample of over 1,000 people throughout Australia a question relating to Australian energy sources [www.mcnairingenuityresearch.com.au (http://203.217.18.13/index.htm?mcnairgallup.htm=2) McNair Gallup Poll] :

"“In view of world shortages of oil and coal, which ones of these various sources of energy, if any, should Australia be developing?”"

According to the 2006 McNair Gallup Poll solar energy topped the preferred solutions for Australia’s future energy needs, with more than eight-in-ten Australians nominating solar energy as a source Australia should be developing. Wind power rated as the second most appealing solution, followed by hydro-electric power. Nuclear power was the least popular solution. Solar energy also topped the preferred solutions for Australia’s future energy needs in 1978, with eight in ten Australians nominating solar energy as a source Australia should be developing. In the 1978 McNair Gallup Poll Oil from Coal rated as the second most appealing solution, closely followed by Hydro-power. Tidal power was the least popular solution in 1978.

In 1978 there was no serious consideration of wind power amongst the overall community, and only one-in-six (17%) people put forward tidal power as a realistic energy source, compared to nearly half (48%) in the 2006 poll. The comparison also showed some increase in the acceptability of nuclear power, from 22% in 1978, to 29% in 2006. However the predominant support for solar energy had not wavered, increasing from 79% of the population a generation prior, to 84% at the time of the 2006 poll.

In fact, interest in developing all of the possible energy sources increased from the earlier 1978 poll to the 2006 poll, showing an overall increase in expectation that Australia would explore more potential sources of energy.

Interestingly, women were more likely than men to elect for the renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, while more than twice as many men (42%) than women (17%) proposed nuclear power as an energy source that Australia should be developing.

The 2006 poll found some differences in opinion amongst various age groups. Australians aged 60+ were more likely to support the development of nuclear power. By contrast, Australians aged 18-39 were less likely to support the development of nuclear power. Australians aged 30-59 were more likely to support the development of Tidal power as an alternative energy source. In comparison Australians over 60 years were less likely to support the development of tidal power.

Overall, there was a growing anticipation that Australia will harness more energy sources, particularly renewable sources such as solar, wind and tidal power. However there was still an expectation that Australia will exploit fossil fuels particularly local sources that would make Australia less dependent on global markets. There were two forces coming to play, one being an increasing sense of urgency around the need to develop commercially viable renewable energy sources, and the desire to have low cost energy in the short term, particularly in the current conditions of high petrol prices. The other force is the level of investment in renewable energy, which does not mean that it will come cheap. While there were signs that consumers were prepared to take some short term pain, in the form of higher energy prices now, as an investment for longer-term solutions, that sentiment was not universal.

External Links

* [http://www.mrsa.com.au/index.cfm/ AMSRS]
* [http://www.mcnairingenuity.com/ McNair Ingenuity Research]
* [http://www.csiro.au/science/Solarenergy.html/ CSIRO ‘Solar Energy’]
* [http://www.energy.com.au/energy/ea.nsf/Content/Kids+Renewable+energy/ AMSRS]
* [http://www.mrsa.com.au/index.cfm/ Energy Australia ’Renewable energy’]

See Also

* Nuclear Power Plants McNair Gallup Poll
* Changing needs for the future McNair Gallup Poll
* Recycle our water McNair Gallup Poll
* McNair Ingenuity Research- Happiness Index
* Health, Education and the Environment McNair Gallup Poll
* The Australian Market and Social Research Society Limited
* Ian Wallace McNair
* History of Australian Market Research
* McNair Ingenuity Research
* Matt Balogh

References