International Poll Shows Low Support for Renewables Premium
ROCHESTER, New York, US. An international opinion poll shows consumers are
unwilling to pay the additional cost for renewable energy.
The European Commission estimates that it would cost each household an
additional Euro 150 or US$220 a month to reduce GHG emissions and develop
more renewable energy. The Financial Times / Harris Poll asked 6,448 adults
in six countries if they were willing to pay the premium.
Highest support was in Italy where 43% were likely (20% somewhat likely, 14%
fairly likely, 6% very likely and 3% completely likely) to pay, with the
least willingness to pay in Great Britain (28%) and the United States (30%).
In France , 69% were not at all likely to pay, 65% opposed in Germany and
62% in Spain .
Another question on the survey asked how much of an increase would the
respondent be willing to pay if it supported renewable energy, with the
highest level (6.1%) from U.S. consumers, 5.3% in Spain, 5.1% in Italy, 4.7%
in France, 4.4% in Germany and 3.9% in Britain. A majority of those who have
some responsibility for paying their household energy bills in the UK would
pay nothing more for energy if it came from renewables.
When asked about increasing the number of windfarms, 92% strongly favoured
(or favoured more than opposed) in the United States, 91% supported in
Italy, 90% Spain, 89% France, 87% UK and 79% of respondents supported more
windfarms in Germany. Government subsidies for biofuels were favoured by 90
Italy , 85 spain , 84 france , 77 Britain , 71 US and 65 Germany .
Government subsidies for nuclear power were favoured by a high of 62% in
Italy to a low of 34% in Germany, while support for building new nuclear
reactors ranged from 58% in Italy to 32% in Spain. Higher taxes on high
carbon emission cars ranged from 78% support in Spain to a low of 53% in the
U.S. , while lower taxes on low carbon emission cars had 91% favour in Italy
and a low of 78% in the U.S.
The FT/Harris poll is conducted monthly among the same number of
respondents.
www.harrisinteractive.com/news/FTHarrisPoll/HI_FinancialTimes_HarrisPoll_Feb2008.pdf
|
