VOTERS WANT NEW ENERGY, RES

New Poll Shows Nationwide, Bipartisan Support For Renewable Electricity Standard
May 5, 2009 (American Wind Energy Association)

Key Findings From Recent National Survey On Renewable Energy Issues from Hart Research Associates is further verification of how much backing the voting public gives the Obama administration’s plan for New Energy.

A national sample of 801 likely voters, quizzed between April 29 and May 1, 2009, shows “true bipartisan” as well as “broad and committed” support for a a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES).

Overwhelming majority: 75% of voters are for an RES that would “…REQUIRE electric utility companies across the nation to generate at least 25% of their electricity through renewable energy sources … by the year 2025…” 53% STRONGLY favor it. Only 16% oppose it.

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Bipartisan majority: 86% of Democrats favor the RES proposal. 71% of independents favor it and 62% of Republicans are for it.

National majority: 84% support it in the Northeast, 75% support it in the Midwest and West, and 71% support it in the South.

The poll also found voters have a good base of knowledge about New Energy, a good explanation for the strength of their support.

70% of “soft” RES supporters volunteered a comment explaining their support. The pollsters described this as “…an extremely high level of awareness.”

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Respondents had concerns that the RES might raise electricity rates. The pollsters describe 2 findings relevant on this point: (1) Only 32% of voters thought this was a VERY convincing argument against the RES, and (2) even “soft” RES supporters remains supporters when told the rate increase would be $2-to-$3 a month.

The most “impressive”finding to the pollsters was that even after they were given 4 “concerns” without arguments to support their postion, 65% of the original 75% pro-RES voters continued to favor it and the anti-RES numbers only went up to 25%.

With such a huge pro-RES majority it hardly matters, but the poll had a margin of error of +3.5%.