In a new poll conducted by Business Insider, it is apparent that the majority of American citizens prefer greener and cleaner sources of energy more than they prefer the use of fossil fuels. These results coincide with a poll conducted this past March by Gallop that suggests that nearly 60 percent of the population either "favors" or "strongly favors" a national transition to renewable energy.
Solar and wind power were the top two favorites according to Business Insider, with coal coming in at the very last spot. In fact, nearly half of the 1,090 participants believe that considerably less focus should be placed on coal as our primary means of energy.
Green energy has experienced somewhat of a boom over the last 10 years or so, nearly doubling in nationwide usage according to the US Energy Information Administration. The rapid increase is due mainly to changes in state and federal policies regarding licenses, permits, and restrictions associated with the installation of turbines and panels, essentially simplifying the process. Advances in technology have also lent a hand as these renewable sources are now more cost efficient, which in turn has lowered operating costs and boosted the rapidly growing industry.
This isn't the first time coal power has tasted defeat in the race to provide the nation with energy. The demand for natural gas powered electricity actually surpassed the need for coal in 2016, marking the beginning of the end for the coal industry. The most recent polls, however, seem to be marking the beginning of the end for fossil fuels all together.
The question posed by Insider was rather simple and straightforward. The question was: "If cost were not an issue, which of the following types of power would you prefer to generate your area's electricity? Rank them in order of preference."
Insider then collected the information, ranked the energy sources based on preference, and compiled a list. The Nation's most preferred sources of energy according to the poll are as follows:
Solar power ranked first among respondents, with wind power coming in second, followed by hydroelectric power, geothermal power, natural gas, biomass, petroleum, nuclear power, and then finally coal.
The results do in fact suggest that Americans are leaning towards ways in which to help curb the negative effect humans are having on the planet. Even though the Trump Administration has openly denied climate change, it seems as though the American people are deciding for themselves which route they, as a society, are taking.
SurveyMonkey Audience polls from a national sample balanced by census data of age and gender. Respondents are incentivized to complete surveys through charitable contributions. Generally speaking, digital polling tends to skew toward people with access to the internet. SurveyMonkey Audience doesn't try to weight its sample based on race or income. Total 1,090 respondents collected September 6-7, 2019, a margin of error plus or minus 3.07 percentage points with a 95% confidence level.
