PEOPLE LIKE SUN, HAVE QUESTIONS – POLL

44% Favor Solar Energy For Home Heating
April 8, 2010 (Rasmussen Reports)

"…Forty-four percent (44%) of Americans believe solar energy should become a standard method of heating homes in the United States, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey…Twenty-three percent (23%) disagree and don’t see a standard heating role for solar energy in the nation’s housing. Another 33% aren’t sure.

"Nearly one-out-of-three adults (31%) say they are at least somewhat likely to use solar power in their homes in the next five years, including 13% who say they are very likely to do so…Sixty-two percent (62%) are unlikely to use solar power this way, with 40% who are not very likely to use it in their homes in the next five years and 22% who are not at all likely to."

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"Most Americans see a need for major lifestyle cutbacks to help the environment, but even more don’t think that's likely to happen…Those ages 18 to 40 feel more strongly than their elders that solar energy will become a regular heating source for homes in this country. Those in this age group are also roughly twice as likely as older Americans to say they are very likely to use solar power in their homes in the next five years.

"Over half of adults who earn $75,000 or more per year believe solar energy will become a standard method of heating homes in the United States…Twenty-five percent (25%) of Americans who earn more than $100,000 per year say they are very likely to use solar power in their homes in the next five years, compared to just six percent (6%) of those who make between $20,000 and $40,000 annually."

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"Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters believe finding new sources of energy is more important than reducing the amount of energy Americans now consume. Support for finding new sources of energy has been this high or higher for months…

"…[J]ust 17% of Americans say it is at least somewhat likely that the next car they buy will be all-electric…Voters support offshore oil drilling more than ever, and most don’t agree with President Obama’s decision to limit where that drilling can be done…Nearly half of Americans (49%) favor the building of new nuclear power plants. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are opposed to the idea, and 24% are not sure…"