Public Supports Alternative Energy, but Majority Unwilling to Pay More - New Poll

[AlternativeEnergy.com]

Full Press Release Appears Below

Highlights

• People favor solar, wind, and biofuels more than nuclear, but majority would still pursue nuclear.
• Majority say they will NOT pay more for alternative energy.
• Surveys do not seem to frame question around three concerns: security, economics, and environment.
• AlternativeEnergy.com Editor's Note: (A) This survey indicates that the public needs more information about fossil fuel risks and alternative energy benefits and (B) New technologies must be very close or lower in cost than fossil fuels..

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As energy costs continue to soar, and an increased reliance on traditional oil and coal is questioned, alternate sources of energy are examined more closely. Many in the five largest countries in Europe and in the United States like the idea of renewable energy, but do not want to pay any more for renewable energy sources. A majority of adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills in Great Britain (54%) and Germany (50%), pluralities in Italy (44%), France (42%) and the U.S. (40%), as well as just over one-third of adults responsible for paying household energy bills in Spain (35%), all say they would be willing to pay nothing more for energy if it was from renewable sources.

These are some of the results of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive® among a total of 6,448 adults aged 16 to 64 within France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain and the United States, and adults aged 18 to 64 in Italy, between January 30 and February 8, 2008.

When this decision of paying more is translated into actual currency, it makes it even less likely that people will be willing to pay more. Using European Commission estimates that it would cost each household an extra €150, £110 or $220 (depending on country) per month to cut greenhouse gasses and get more renewable energy, strong majorities of adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills in all six countries say they would be not at all likely to pay this extra amount.

Looking at taxes on cars, here majorities favor a higher tax on higher carbon emission cars. From a high of 78 percent of adults favoring this idea in Spain to a low of just over half (53%) of adults favoring it in the U.S., it is a winning idea. An even stronger idea is that of having a lower tax on lower carbon emission cars. At least three-quarters of adults in all six countries favor this idea. In fact, majorities of Italians (53%) and Spaniards (55%) strongly favor lower taxes on lower carbon emitting cars.

Building New Sources of Energy

Looking specifically to two sources of energy – nuclear and wind – majorities of adults in these six countries are in favor of one type and mixed on the other. When it comes to the number of wind farms in their country, strong majorities in all six countries (from 79% to 92%) are in favor of seeing a large increase. Nuclear energy, on the other hand, produces more mixed feelings. A majority of Italians (58%) are in favor of building new nuclear plants in their country. Two-thirds of Spaniards (68%) as well as 64 percent of Germans and just over half (55%) of adults in Great Britain, however, are all opposed to building new power plants in their respective countries. France and the U.S. are more closely divided. In France, 51 percent are opposed while in the U.S., 52 percent favor building new power plants.

Government Subsidies

When it comes to actually having the government create a financial subsidy for the development of nuclear power, the feeling equals those of building new plants. Italians are most supportive, as three in five (62%) are in favor of such a subsidy. Majorities in Germany (66%), Spain (64%), Great Britain (58%) and the U.S. (54%) are all opposed to a subsidy for nuclear power development. Again, France is the most divided as 52 percent oppose this subsidy while 48 percent would be in favor of it. Bio-fuels, however, are a different story. Strong majorities in all six countries (from 65% in Germany to 90% in Italy) would favor a government subsidy for bio-fuels.

So What?

Support for bio-fuels and wind farms is strong across these six countries. But, what is also clear is that while people support renewable electricity, they are not willing to actually pay more for these alternative types of energy. Until people are forced to do so, or the price for renewable energy comes down considerably, people will not make the “green” choice. This is especially true as economies around the globe tighten. When it comes to food or solar power, food will win for the consumer each time.

TABLE 1
PAYING MORE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
"How much of an increase would you be willing to pay at the most for energy if it were from renewable sources?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	884		934		807		848		968		787
Nothing more	54		42		44		35		50		40
5% more	18		25		25		25		22		17
10% more	12		16		15		14		14		17
15% more	2		4		7		4		4		7
20% more	2		2		4		3		2		4
30% more	1		*		*		1		1		2
40% more	1		*		*		1		1		1
Not sure	10		10		5		17		5		11
AVERAGE	3.9%		4.7%		5.1%		5.3%		4.4%		6.1%
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2
LIKELIHOOD OF PAYING MORE EACH MONTH FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY
"The European Commission estimates it would cost each household an extra (EUR 150, GBP 110, $220) on a monthly basis on gas and electricity bills to cut green house emissions and get more renewable energy. Given the choice, how likely would you be to pay this extra (EUR 150, GBP 110, $220) per month?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	884		934		807		848		968		787
Completely likely	2		1		3		3		3		2
Very likely	2		3		6		4		3		4
Fairly likely	11		10		14		10		9		8
Somewhat likely	13		17		20		21		21		16
Not at all likely	72		69		57		62		65		71
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3
HIGHER TAXES ON HIGHER CARBON EMISSION CARS
"How much do you favor or oppose a higher tax on higher carbon emission cars?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	65		67		71		78		57		53
Strongly favor	31		31		32		46		20		21
Favor more than oppose	34		37		39		32		37		32
OPPOSE (NET)	35		33		29		22		43		47
Oppose more than favor	23		19		18		14		24		27
Strongly oppose	12		14		11		8		19		20
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 4
LOWER TAXES ON LOWER CARBON EMISSION CARS
"How much do you favor or oppose a lower tax on lower carbon emission cars?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	86		79		91		90		89		78
Strongly favor	39		34		53		55		44		37
Favor more than oppose	46		44		38		35		45		41
OPPOSE (NET)	14		21		9		10		11		22
Oppose more than favor	11		13		7		5		7		14
Strongly oppose	4		8		3		5		5		8
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 5
BUILDING NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
"How much do you favor or oppose building new nuclear power plants in (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.)?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	45		49		58		32		36		52
Strongly favor	13		15		29		12		12		20
Favor more than oppose	32		34		30		20		25		32
OPPOSE (NET)	55		51		42		68		64		48
Oppose more than favor	35		31		21		28		29		31
Strongly oppose	20		20		21		40		35		17
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 6
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WIND FARMS
"How much do you favor or oppose a large increase in the number of wind farms in (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.)?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	87		89		91		90		79		92
Strongly favor	48		49		64		55		34		61
Favor more than oppose	39		40		27		35		45		31
OPPOSE (NET)	13		11		9		10		21		8
Oppose more than favor	9		8		8		7		14		7
Strongly oppose	4		3		2		3		7		1
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 7
GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES FOR BIO-FUELS
"How much do you favor or oppose a financial subsidy by the government of (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.) for bio-fuels?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	77		84		90		85		65		71
Strongly favor	23		39		54		38		23		22
Favor more than oppose	55		45		36		47		42		49
OPPOSE (NET)	23		16		10		15		35		29
Oppose more than favor	16		10		8		10		21		21
Strongly oppose	7		6		2		5		14		8
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 8
GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES FOR NUCLEAR POWER
"How much do you favor or oppose a financial subsidy by the government of (the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.S.) for the development of nuclear power?"
Base: All EU adults in five countries and US adults
	Great Britain		France		Italy		Spain		Germany		United States
	%		%		%		%		%		%
Unweighted base	1087		1076		1045		1109		1111		1020
FAVOR (NET)	42		48		62		36		34		46
Strongly favor	10		11		30		13		7		12
Favor more than oppose	33		37		32		23		27		35
OPPOSE (NET)	58		52		38		64		66		54
Oppose more than favor	38		33		20		35		32		37
Strongly oppose	20		19		17		30		34		17
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding