Consumer Reports Finds Consumers Like Renewables, Hate Utilities

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Steve Hanely over at CleanTechnica reports that a new Consumer Reports’ survey reinforces what most of you have known since you joined the solar industry – renewable energy is popular among Americans.

In words someone like me can appreciate (because I wish I’d written them first), Hanley writes:

The Trump maladministration wants to choke us all with more emissions from coal-fired generating plants, but a survey of 1200 Americans conducted by GfK for Consumer Reports finds the vast majority of Americans want more renewable energy and less power plant pollution. The survey also reveals that plenty of utilities seem to have a credibility issue with their customers. Consumers Union has submitted the results of the survey to the EPA as part of the public comment process on rolling back the Clean Power Plan that ended October 31.

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But it’s even better than that. According to the survey, 81% of thsoe surveyed say they want their power plants to produce less pollution, and that even included the four states where the majority of power is produced by coal (those states would be Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois and Virginia). So here’s a news flash: renewable energy is even popular in coal country, something I’ve been telling you since the Kentucky Coal Museum switched over to solar power last year.

But here’s the other finding of the survey that Hanley highlights and that should strike fear into the hearts of utility executives across the country: Consumers don’t trust utilities to do the charge fair prices and provide excellent service. I don’t know why they don’t trust their utilities.

Oh wait, yes I do. It’s because their utilities lie to them all the time, especially when it comes to solar and the fake “cost shift” they are constantly going on about.

The Consumer Reports survey just proves what most of us have known all along. The renewables revolution is coming, and utilities better figure out how to harness that revolution or they will be assigned to the ash heap of history right quick.

More:

Consumer Reports Survey Finds Most Americans Want More Renewable Energy

Make Time To Take The Solar Foundation’s Jobs Survey

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

I know it seems like we just did this, but that’s because as you get older, time speeds up exponentially.

So when you receive your notification from The Solar Foundation that it’s time to fill out their National Jobs Survey again, don’t think it’s a mistake; it really is that time of year again.

It should be obvious, but every year I hear people ask why they should fill it out. How does it help them?

To which I say, are you crazy?

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It’s a 15-minute survey, but the effects of it are felt throughout the entire year. A good showing in the Jobs Census means positive coverage of the solar industry for at least a month after the survey comes out. Then there’s all the follow-up coverage that cite the statistics gleaned from the survey.

Then there’s the fact that the industry continues to show its strength as an economic driver, which translates into real political power. After all, where else can you find the number of solar workers in states down the Congressional district? Nowhere else, that’s where.

The most ridiculous argument I’ve heard people use for not filling out the survey is that it takes too much time. Really? You can’t find 15 minutes in your day to answer a series of questions that ultimately will show your strength and the strength of your industry to the public at large? This. Is. Important. It’s completely worth your time and effort.

As a matter of public record, I fill out the survey every year for my own company, Narrative Solutions. Why? Because the majority of my clients are in the solar industry. So my firm, though it is not exclusively a solar firm, is part of the solar industry. I have a vested interest in seeing all of you succeed. And if my one job adds to the incredible numbers the rest of you put up, well, then so much the better.

Filling out the National Job Survey from The Solar Foundation is your obligation to yourself and to the industry you serve. Take the 15 minutes necessary to fill it out – let’s defy expectations and tell the general public that despite attempts to shut us down (with tariffs), we are a growing, thriving and exciting industry of which to be a part. You can start your survey here – and thank you for your service.

Take The SolarWakeup Q2 Sentiment Survey (30 seconds)

By SolarWakeup Editorial

Results will be released at SolarWakeup Live! Chicago, on June 21st. The survey is 5 questions and only takes 30 seconds to complete. This is a personal sentiment survey so all SolarWakeup readers can participate. Given the ups and downs of the solar industry, we hope this will help us gauge the overall feelings in our industry.