New research by RenewableUK Cymru has found that 71% of Welsh people believe renewable energy development should increase, with just 6% saying it should decrease, and 58% want Wales’s future energy system to be mainly or entirely based on renewable energy.

New polling published by RenewableUK Cymru on April 1 shows strong backing for renewables comes from Labour, Plaid Cymru, Conservative and Green voters. The polling, however, also highlights the public opinion that challenges assumptions about opposition to renewable projects and energy infrastructure, with voters being broadly pro‑renewables and open to the trade‑offs when costs and community benefits are clear.

Although public support is strong, voters most commonly cite the benefit of having lower bills as one of the key priorities, with cost and affordability among their top concerns.

The polling also reveals a striking gap between how people perceive Wales’ current performance and the reality. Around four in ten people believe Wales already generates a higher share of its electricity from renewables than the UK average, when in fact Wales is currently behind with 33% of electricity generation coming from renewables versus just over 50% for the UK as a whole.

When presented with the reality in focus groups, participants expressed surprise and disappointment, indicating that many people expect Wales to be further ahead and want to see faster progress, RenewableUK Cymru said.

Furthermore, over three-quarters of people say they have little or no understanding of community benefit funding schemes. When told that for every £1 in post-tax profit a developer makes, 37 pence is reinvested into the local community, nearly 65% of people say that knowing this would make them more likely to support a renewable project in their area.

“This research shows that people in Wales are firmly behind renewable energy, across political divides – but it also shows they are thoughtful and pragmatic, not blindly supportive or ideologically opposed. They want honesty about the trade-offs, clear information on costs and delivery, and confidence that communities will share in the rewards,” said Jessica Hooper, Director of RenewableUK Cymru.

“The risk now is not public resistance but misreading public opinion. With electricity demand projected to double – potentially triple – by 2050, decision makers need policies that deliver clean power at pace, keep bills affordable, and be honest about the trade-offs.”

Wales has set the ambition to generate 70% of annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2030 and 100% by 2035, while also delivering at least 1.5 GW of locally owned renewable energy capacity by 2035.

The recently published Renewable Energy Sector Deal aims to help deliver on these targets by accelerating deployment across onshore and offshore wind, solar, marine and hydro, as well as to strengthen supply chains, high-quality jobs and enhanced opportunities for shared ownership and community benefit programs.

Of note, in the UK government’s latest Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round, three tidal energy projects in Wales were awarded contracts. This includes Mor Energy Limited for its 5.5 MW Mor Energy GO3 Phase2 tidal stream project, Tidal Technologies W1 Ltd for its 3 MW Morlais Tidal Tech GR1 W1.1, and Hydrowing Tidal Projects 2 Ltd for its 10 MW Ynni’r Lleuad 3.