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1. ATTITUDES TOWARDS VARIOUS ENERGY FORMS Basic attitudes towards energy forms were measured by asking citizens which way electricity generation in Finland should be developed with regard to various energy alternatives. Eight energy sources of electricity generation in current use were assessed. Each of them had to be weighed separately on a seven-tier scale ('increase considerably' - 'phase out completely'). This question has been repeated in a basically comparable form annually since autumn 1983. In the present study, imported electricity, which has long represented a significant share of the total energy consumption, was also included as an electricity production method.
The comparison of percentages of people in favour of increasing or decreasing the use of various energy forms gives a simplified picture of the 'ranking' of these energy forms. Wind power (87% are in favour of an increase and 2% in favour of a decrease) as well as wood and other bioenergy (83%/3%) proved to be by far the most popular forms of energy. Attitudes toward hydropower (67%/4%) are also quite positive [Figure 1.]. Nuclear power, peat and natural gas form a sort of intermediate group of energy forms 'favoured with reservations'. The respondents wanted to increase rather than decrease the use of these energy forms, but opinions are already indicating some division. Two out of five (43%) are now in favour of increasing the use of nuclear power. Slightly more than one in five are in favour of its decrease (23%). Even though the result concerning nuclear power is by no means revolutionary, it is historic in that this form of energy has never before been placed as high as the fourth position in the comparison. The figures for peat are, however, practically on the same level (43%/24%). Natural gas is not far behind either (33%/20%). The new target for comparison, imported electricity, has a weak start in the race. About one in ten (11%) is in favour of increasing the import of electricity, nearly one in two (46%) against it. However, attitudes towards coal and oil are clearly the most negative. A clear majority of Finns (63% and 69%) would like to reduce their use. The fact that so-called alternative energy beats conventional production methods is not surprising as such; similar results have been obtained in various contexts for more than twenty years. However, the current proportions of usage taken up by the energy forms under review should be taken into account in the interpretation. In the current production reality, some are in the 'heavy league' and others are mainly challengers aiming to play a supplementing role. Therefore, 'considerable increase of use' takes on a different meaning with regard to various energy forms. For example, if the production of wind power were to be increased tenfold, it would achieve a share of about two per cent of all electricity produced; however, with some other alternative a smaller increase in capacity would put it in a dominant position. Taking the intensity of opinions into account (response categories have been combined in the above) it can be said that of all the alternatives, coal power has the most absolute opposition. About one in seven respondents (14%) would like to reject coal altogether. The second highest figure (9%) was given to nuclear power. This information - the low level of the figures - indicates that, despite the criticism expressed, people want to retain the diversity of the production structure, and that when compared to international figures, the phase-out of nuclear power has few supporters in Finland. The difference between nuclear power and coal is noteworthy in that as the follow-up has progressed, the energy forms have switched places. This is the fourth time the position of the 'most dreadful one' is given to coal. From 1983 to 2002 this position was always given to nuclear power (not included in the figure).
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