Page 38 - PCCA Journal 2nd Quarter 2012

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PCCA Journal|2
nd
Quarter 2012
38
Survey Shows Decline in
Consumer Support for
Clean Energy
T
he clean energy industry is
dynamic and evolving, as the
future of energy in the United
States continues to be a topic of intense
focus, particularly in this election year.
However, according to a new survey
from Pike Research, consumer support
for clean energy concepts—ranging from
renewable energy to alternative fuel
vehicles to smart grid technologies—has
declined significantly between 2009 and
2011. In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S.
adults conducted in the fourth quarter
of 2011, Pike found that the average
percentage of consumers with an "ex-
tremely" or "very" favorable view of 13
clean energy concepts declined from 50
percent in 2009 to 45 percent in 2010 and
dropped further to 43 percent in 2011.
The survey results, part of Pike Re-
search's annual Energy & Environment
Consumer Survey, are summarized in a
free white paper, which is available for
download at www.pikereseacrh.com.
Among the 13 clean energy concepts,
biofuels suffered the most precipitous
decline in favorability, dropping 17
points from 56 percent in the 2009
edition of Pike Research’s survey to 39
percent by 2011. Favorability ratings of
smart grid and clean coal were tied for
the second largest decline, each falling
10 points over the two-year period.
The percentages of survey respondents
stating that they had either a “very fa-
vorable” or “favorable” view for each of
the 13 concepts in 2011 were as follows:
• Solar Energy: 77 percent
• Wind Energy: 71 percent
• Hybrid Vehicles: 61 percent
• Electric Cars: 55 percent
• Natural Gas Cars: 51 percent
• Clean Coal: 42 percent
• Nuclear Power: 40 percent
• Biofuels: 39 percent
• Smart Meters: 38 percent
• Smart Grid: 37 percent
• Carbon Offsets/Credits: 19 percent
• LEED Certification: 18 percent
• Cap and Trade: 14 percent
Carbon offsets/credits garnered the
largest percentage of “strongly unfavor-
able” or “somewhat unfavorable” views
from survey participants, with a 25 per-
cent unfavorable rating, followed closely
by nuclear power with a 23 percent un-
favorable rating and cap and trade with
a 22 percent unfavorable rating. LEED
Certification, the green building certifica-
tion program administered by the U.S.
Green Building Council, suffered from a
very low level of familiarity among re-
News Briefs
Continued from page 37
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