March 5, 2012: Consumer Support for Clean Energy Has Declined Significantly Since 2009
Among the 13 clean energy concepts, biofuels suffered the steepest 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 favorable” 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
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• 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 unfavorable” or “somewhat unfavorable” views from survey participants, with a 25 percent unfavorable rating, followed closely by nuclear power with a 23 percent unfavorable rating, and cap and trade with a 22 percent unfavorable rating.
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 — 45 percent stated that they were unfamiliar with the program, the lowest level of familiarity of any of the 13 concepts.
Publication date: 03/05/2012
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