Summary

The purpose of this monthly report is to track consumer sentiment about the priority level utilities should be placing on climate change initiatives and clean energy program investments in wind, solar, and electric vehicles (EVs). The results of the analysis are presented by age, U.S. region, and gender. The data in this report was collected at the end of October 2021.

The supporting data and figures in this report can be found in the accompanying data file.

Source

The data and graphics in this report are from Zpryme’s monthly and quarterly consumer benchmarking surveys. Data is based upon a nationally representative survey sample of 1,000 U.S. adults (margin of error: +/- 3.5%).

Highlights

• Close to half of the total sample (48.1%) said utilities should place a high priority on climate change, with the west having the largest proportion (58.1%) saying a high priority should be placed.
• The largest group of respondents (46.9%) said their utility should place a high priority on investing in renewable sources of energy, again with the western region having the largest percentage (53.5%) saying utilities should place a high priority on renewables investing.
• A review of findings from March to October 2021 revealed a decline in those saying utilities should place a high priority on climate change from 51.3% in September to 48.1% in October, but with the western region still having the largest group voting for a high priority. Those saying a high priority should be placed by their utility on investing in renewables increased from 40.5% in September to 46.9% in October, which placed the most recent data in the mid-forty percentage range found from March to August. Renewable energy investment as a high priority returned to the western region (from the northeast) as the region with the largest group of those saying a high priority should be placed.