Majority of Americans support solar energy: survey

More than eight in ten Americans think it is vital that the US government support solar manufacturing, according to a new survey.

A new poll shows that Americans overwhelmingly support the use and development of solar energy as well as federal incentives for solar. The 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer, a national survey conducted annually by independent polling firm Kelton Research, found that nine out of ten Americans (89 per cent) think it is important for the United States to develop and use solar energy. Support for solar is strong across the political spectrum with 80 per cent of Republicans, 90 per cent of Independents and 94 per cent of Democrats agreeing that it is important for the United States to develop and use solar.

More than eight out of ten Americans (82 per cent) support federal tax credits and grants for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades. Support for federal tax credits is solid across the political spectrum, with Republican support lowest: seventy-one per cent of Republicans agree that tax credits and grants should be extended to the solar industrty, as well as 82 per cent of Independents and 87 per cent of Democrats.

When asked to select an energy source they would financially support if they were in charge of US energy policy, 39 per cent of Americans chose solar over other sources such as natural gas, wind, nuclear and coal ( the least desirable, chosen by just 3 per cent).

Eight out of ten Americans (82 per cent) think it is important for the federal government to support US solar manufacturing, according to the poll. Also, a majority of Americans (51 per cent) said they would be more likely to purchase a product if they knew it was made using solar energy.

"It's clear that solar has the strong support of the American people," said Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. "Now it needs the support of US policymakers in extending job-creating policies like the 1603 Treasury Program to make sure solar continues to work for America."