The World and it's Energy

[Ashot]

Western fears on Russian energy

 

By John Thornhill in Paris

 

Published: February 17 2008 18:28 | Last updated: February 17 2008 18:28

 

A clear majority of west Europeans regard Russia as an unreliable energy supplier but remain resistant to paying more for alternative supplies from renewable energy sources.

 

An FT/Harris poll found that a majority of respondents in the UK, Germany, France and Italy were opposed to Russian companies investing in their countries – although 55 per cent of Spanish respondents favoured such investment.

 

Public opinion in western Europe appears sceptical about Russia’s intentions, amid rising talk of a return to cold war tensions, but the country is still viewed as more of a friend than a foe in four of the west European countries surveyed – as well as in the US.

 

Only Britain, which has recently had some fierce ­diplomatic exchanges with Moscow over the murder in London of Alexander Litvin-enko, an ex-KGB officer, has a markedly more hostile attitude with 60 per cent regarding Russia as a foe.

 

Even though the western European public appears keen to lessen its dependence on Russian gas supplies, consumers are reluctant to pay much – if any – more for alternative nuclear or renewable energy.

 

A majority of those with some responsibility for paying their household energy bills say they would pay nothing more for energy coming from renewable sources.

 

Of those that say they would pay more, the majority would pay only 5 per cent.

 

About two-thirds of respondents say it is “not at all likely” that they would pay an extra €150 ($220, £112) a month on gas and electricity bills to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This was the sum the European Commission estimated it would cost each household significantly to increase its use of renewable energy.

 

Very strong majorities – ranging from 79 per cent in Germany to 92 per cent in the US – favoured a large in- crease in the number of wind farms. There was also overwhelming approval for cutting taxes on lower carbon emission cars.

 

However, attitudes were far more ambivalent towards nuclear power. A majority of respondents in Italy and the US favour building new nuclear plants while majorities in Spain, Germany and the UK are opposed. France, which has the biggest nuclear industry in Europe, is divided.

 

The Financial Times Limited 2008