North Carolina residents overwhelmingly support renewable energy, including legislation that would let independent power generators sell directly to customers, according to a poll out today.
The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, which advocates for wind, solar and other renewable fuels, commissioned the poll of more than 700 residents last month by public opinion firm Fallon Research.
The poll found strongest support for solar energy, at 89 percent, natural gas at 84 percent, and offshore wind energy at 76 percent (with 15 percent opposed). Support for nuclear power came in at 57 percent and for coal-fired electricity at 56 percent, with 32 percent opposed to both.
On other questions, residents gave their firmest support -- 87 percent -- to legislation allowing non-utility energy companies to sell directly to customers. North Carolina law now allows only the utilities that serve the state, chiefly Duke Energy and Progress Energy, to sell power.
North Carolina legislators, under a bill sponsored by Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg, are studying whether to allow so-called third-party sales. Twenty states allow such sales, which the association says could open up new markets for solar-energy companies.
Eighty-five percent of the people polled said consumers should have more options for buying electricity.
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9 comments:
"Poll finds support for renewable energy..."
...until they see the bill for construction.
Hey Bruce - polls aren't news. Get off the BarcaLounger and do some real reporting, ya lazy sod.
Follow-up to 8:29
Wait till they see what the electric rates will have to jump to to support renewables. And, what are they going to do when the sun is not out and the wind is not blowing? Burn trees? I hope not.
Good for Rep. Samuelson. What is more conservative than allowing free-market competition? What is more progressive than supporting renewables?
If they allow third-party sales, that would be a win-win.
And Garth Vader, leave your lazy ad-hominem attacks at home.
Solar Strata in Raleigh is having huge success in developing large scale solar. Solar is down from $9 a watt to $3 a watt and will continue to fall. We have to keep investing in alternative energy today to make it scalable and move away from fossil fuels wherever possible. I would encourage all to read "Raising Elijah" by Dr. Sandra Steingraber. We have two environmental crises - toxic chemicals and global warming. The latter is making the former even worse. We must move forward today.
Did the poll also ask people if they were willing to have higher power bills for green energy, &/or pay higher taxes? Did it ask them if they support more natural gas generated power if that would hold prices steady, or even lower power prices?
Sam McNeil
Polls are worth about as much as the paper they are written o, or the journalistic hacks who think they have any bearing to reality.
Maybe Bruce here can do an expose on the difference in energy through put and cost differentials between coal fired power plants and these stupid windmills. Oh but wait that would require actual work not just foolish scribbling in promotion of a failed agenda. Never mind.
Really, polls take a major support for energies basically for renewable energy. Nice blog. Keep it up...
renewable energy
Nice Blog! Poll I am also in a vote of solar power instead of conventional expensive electricity.Keep it up:
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