Results from poll conducted by farmer-led advocacy organisation Farmers for Climate Action (FCA), show 63% of residents living in regional Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) support the shift to clean energy, and just 17% oppose.
The non-profit, non-partisan, organisation polled 1,965 residents across REZ locations in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and Queensland, returning strong support for the clean energy transition.
Farmers for Climate Action CEO, Verity Morgan-Schmidt said 67% of REZ residents named solar as the ‘significant energy source’ of the future.
“[That is] followed by onshore wind (43%), offshore wind (41%) and pumped hydro (39%). Coal and gas trail at 29% each, with nuclear last at 24%,” Morgan-Schmidt said.
“In Central Queensland, solar support is especially strong at 68%, while nuclear is the least supported energy generation source at 25%.”
Image: EnergyCo
Results showed support for coal, gas and nuclear is particularly low in the Hunter, Illawarra and Gippsland.
“In the Hunter, coal was seen as a significant future energy source by 30%, gas by 25%, and nuclear by 22%. In the Illawarra: coal 25%, gas 28%, nuclear 26%. In Gippsland: gas 31%, coal 28%, nuclear 24%.”
Morgan-Schmidt said the data showed a striking gap between real and perceived support for clean energy in the regions.
“Many who support the shift to clean energy do not realise they are part of the quiet majority. Media and social media algorithms will continue to promote conflict, and FCA will continue to listen to farmers, not Facebook,” Morgan-Schmidt said.
Orange, NSW-based See Saw Wine Export and Sustainability Manager Maggie Jarrett said farmers have always worked with the sun, so it makes sense to harness it for energy too, “on our own terms.”
“I’d rather harness the sun rather than rely on oil imported from reserves we don’t have and markets we can’t control. The polling shows the quiet majority in our region already agrees,” Jarrett said.
Image: VicGrid
Walcha (New England, NSW) wool and beef farmer Warwick Fletcher said people are thinking about alternative energy sources now with what’s going on in the Gulf.
“This (polling) just reinforces that the quiet majority believe in trying to improve the environment, doing something for the local economy and the NSW economy. We have a saying around here: Our future, our choice.”
The research was carried out by 89 Degrees East, a member of The Research Society of Australia.
Image: Powerlink
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