by Rebecca Walker — February 9, 2011—The future of the U.S. energy supply is a topic of fierce debate in the political and business arenas, and consumer opinion is a vital component of the broader discussion about the pros and cons of various paths toward a clean energy future.
According to a new survey from Pike Research, consumer support for renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, is extremely high. In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, the cleantech market intelligence firm found that 79 percent of consumers have a favorable view of solar energy, and 75 percent have a favorable view of wind energy. In terms of overall support, these were the top two highest ranked areas in a survey that asked consumers about their views on 12 energy and environmental concepts.
The results are summarized in a free white paper, which is available for download on Pike Research’s Web site.
The survey also found “very favorable” or “favorable” support for biofuels at 47 percent, smart meters at 37 percent, smart grid at 37 percent, LEED certification at 19 percent, and cap and trade at 15 percent.
Cap and trade and nuclear power were tied in terms of the largest percentage of “strongly unfavorable” or “somewhat unfavorable” views from survey participants, each with a 19 percent unfavorable rating, followed closely by carbon offsets/credits with 18 percent. LEED Certification, the green building certification program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, suffered from a very low level of familiarity among respondents—53 percent stated that they were unfamiliar with the program, the lowest level of familiarity of any of the 12 energy and environment concepts.
