Poll Shows Strong Support For Wind Energy In Ohio
| in News Departments > New & Noteworthy |
| A solid majority of Ohio residents support investment in renewable energy and approve of the state's law that encourages those investments, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reports, citing a study conducted by Fallon Research & Communications Inc. According to the results of the poll, nearly 80% of Ohio voters support laws requiring Ohio to produce a portion of its electricity from clean energy sources, especially wind and solar power. In fact, three out of four Ohioans support increasing the number of wind farms in the state. The poll also found that nearly two-thirds of Ohio voters support the state's policy that promotes new sources of clean energy to make Ohio less dependent on fossil fuels. Nearly 60% of Ohioans would even be willing to pay, if necessary, up to $3 per month extra on their monthly electricity bills in order to use clean sources of energy. The poll results were released as Ohio's Senate Public Utilities Committee plans to hold hearings reviewing the state's clean energy law. "It is clear [that] a strong majority of Ohio citizens support the state's clean energy law, despite the repeated attempts by some General Assembly members to either repeal or weaken Ohio's clean energy laws," says Rob Gramlich, AWEA’s interim CEO. "The upcoming Senate hearings should confirm and continue the positive steps Ohio has taken on clean energy." In May 2008, Ohio enacted its Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard, which requires Ohio's utilities to obtain an increasing percentage of electricity from renewable sources. This year, utilities need to acquire 3% of their electricity supplies from wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, biologically derived methane gas, landfill gas, certain co-generation and heat recovery facilities, and qualified hydroelectric facilities. Key findings from the poll can be found here. |
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