In March 2003, EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin presented the findings of the EUROBAROMETER survey on "Energy: Issues, options and technologies." The survey is based on interviews with some 16 000 citizens from 15 EU Member States.
Not surprisingly for EREF, the survey underlined the very positive image for renewable energies:

• People have faith in these environmentally benign sources of energy and they assign a high priority to it, both in terms of research activities and policy measures.
• As regards the perception of the EU´s long-term future, renewable sources of energy are perceived as being less expensive, particularly environment-friendly, and producing useful energy in sufficient quantities.
• As far as energy-related research is concerned, EU citizens expect to see significant spin-offs for the protection of the environment and want more action in the field of renewable energy sources and cleaner means of transport.

For EREF, renewable energies are together with energy savings and energy efficiency the only source to secure our future in a sustainable way. There is a broad variety of renewable energy sources, especially hydro, wind, tidal, wave, bio energy, solar and geothermal sources.
Renewable energies generate new, qualified jobs in Europe. The renewable energy industry consists predominantly of SMEs (see recent Commission staff working paper, from 21.1.2003, Creating an entrepreneurial Europe - p 88).

Creating an entrepreneurial Europe: The activities of the European Union for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - SEC(2003)58
SEC(2003)53

In addition, EREF and others in the sector are convinced that Europe, and other parts of the world, would benefit immensely from exports and transfers of Europe´s expertise and pace-setting technology in the RES field. The advantages would come not only in the form of jobs in both exporting and importing countries, but making available sustainable energy in other world regions that would help alleviate poverty, improve the quality of life and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Under the current distorted market conditions with their heavy support for traditional energies, such as coal and nuclear, Renewable Energies need favourable conditions to ensure investment under difficult circumstances. Therefore EREF favours the most successful non-subsidy market systems to date, based on the principle of minimum price schemes and guaranteed priority access to the grid.

The conclusions of the Eurobarometer Survey "Energy: issues, options and technologies" are online at the following address:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/energy/gp/gp_ef_en.html

which is part of the Energy Research web site:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/energy/index_en.html