UK public see renewable energy investment as ‘very important’

Most people in the UK see renewable energy investment as the most essential infrastructure type, according to research by YouGov.

The infrastructure investment survey, conducted on behalf of GLIL Infrastructure, asked 2,015 respondents to identify how important each type of infrastructure was to them, including road, rail, airports, energy, renewable energy, utilities and telecommunications.

From the responses, almost two-thirds (62%) of the people considered an investment in renewable energy “as very important”, followed by utilities (43%) and rail (40%). Investment in airports was considered the least important area.

According to the survey respondents were least likely to consider investment in airports to be very important, with 40% describing investment in airports as either “not very important” (32%) or “not at all important” (8%).

The survey also revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of the people expected UK infrastructure investment should come from the government, followed by private investors (6%) and sovereign wealth funds (2%).

Over a quarter (27%) said they were unsure where the majority of UK infrastructure investment should come from.

Ted Frith, COO at GLIL Infrastructure, said: “The UK has extensive infrastructure ambitions and now, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a strong case for infrastructure investment as the economy looks to get back on track and prepare for the future.” 

Frith said although 63% of people think the UK Government should pay for infrastructure, the government has other priorities right now, with money rightly being directed to healthcare and supporting businesses and people from across the economy.

“Perhaps now more than ever before the government should be encouraging the private sector and local government pension schemes to step up and help fill the infrastructure funding gap as part of the nation’s recovery.”

GLIL, the £1.8bn (€2bn) infrastructure fund backed by a number of UK local government pension schemes, conducted the survey to gauge people’s views on infrastructure investment. 

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