More than three-quarters of voters would like to see their utility providers invest more in solar energy, according to a poll conducted by Global Strategy Group. The bipartisan majority of registered voters surveyed supported both large and small-scale solar power expansion.
The Global Strategy Group poll, released today at Solar Power International, illustrates solar energy’s widespread appeal among voters and national support for pro-solar policies, such as net metering and renewable portfolio standards.
“Democrats, Republicans and Independents all said, everything being equal, they would vote against a politician who opposed solar power,” said Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Politicians can take this to the bank – Americans will not stand for government or company policies that prevent them from accessing clean, renewable, job-producing, affordable power.”
More than 70 percent of respondents support both net metering and renewable portfolio standards of at least 50 percent by 2030. Nine out of 10 also said that their power company should not be able to stop them from using solar energy.
Those surveyed noted that solar was clean, renewable and would help save money in the long run. More than 65 percent said that solar power creates good-paying jobs and 73 percent agreed that a move toward solar power would address climate change.
Support for solar was particularly strong with younger voters, men, Hispanics and opinion leaders. Global Group said the data shows that more education and awareness leads to more favorable opinions about solar across the board, emphasizing the need to increase education about solar energy.
“The polling showed that the industry does have an opportunity to move the needle in its favor,” said Andrew Baumann, senior vice president of Global Strategies Group. “Whether it’s support for pro-solar policies, a desire to invest in solar, or interest in taking actions to advancing solar deployment, people’s pro-solar opinions became stronger with better information.”
Respondents also named wind power as a source from which they would like to receive more electricity, ranking it a close second with 71 percent support. Online poll results showed 52 percent support for natural gas, 38 percent for nuclear power and just 30 percent said they would like to see utilities employ more coal-powered energy generation.
Global Strategy Group conducted an online national survey of 750 registered voters and 480 opinion leaders between August 27 and September 4, 2018. To read the poll findings, go to www.seia.org/thisiswhy.
