Nuclear survey shows strong perception for solar

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, July 25, 2007. More Americans think solar will be a source of electricity in 2022 than think wind power will be.

The nation-wide public opinion survey was conducted for the Nuclear Energy Institute by Bisconti Research and GfK.

It shows that 27% of respondents think solar will be a source of electricity in 15 years, compared with 24% for nuclear and 19% for wind. Natural gas is next at 16%, coal and hydro at 14% each, and oil at 10% of respondents.

However, solar will generate only 0.04% of the country’s electricity in 2022 and wind will provide only 1%, according to the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy, the NEI adds. By contrast, coal will generate 51% of power, natural gas 20%, hydro 6%, oil 2% and nuclear 17%.

“Four in ten Americans believe that climate change is a serious problem and that immediate action is necessary,” explains Ann Bisconti of Bisconti Research. “With the emergence of climate change as a public policy issue, a majority of Americans believes that action should be taken now.”

The survey was designed to assess how the use of nuclear helps prevent GHG emissions and its future role. Although 57% had heard information during the past year about the need for nuclear, only 46% heard about the environmental benefits of nuclear and only 39% heard that nuclear was an option “to fight global warming and climate change.”

The survey was sponsored by the Nuclear Energy Institute and based on telephone interviews with a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. adults.

“Nuclear energy, like solar energy, is viewed as a fuel of the future, not of the present,” the survey concludes. “When asked which electricity sources are used most today and which will be used most 15 years from now, the public put solar and nuclear energy at the top of the list for the future, but near the bottom today.”

“Using a mix of low-carbon sources, including nuclear energy and renewables, makes sense to the public for producing the electricity we need while limiting greenhouse gases,” explains Bisconti. Although the survey shows solid support for nuclear, that level has declined to 63% from a high of 70% in 2005 and 68% in 2006.

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