Most want renewable energy, poll reveals

NEW YORK, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A majority of people in the United States and Europe favor using more renewable energy sources if they don't have to pay much more for it, a poll indicates.

Wind farms are supported by large majorities in the countries surveyed, from 90 percent in Spain to 87 percent in the United States and 77 percent in France, a Harris Poll found.

Government financial subsidies for the use of biofuels were favored by 77 percent of those polled in Italy, 76 in Spain and 60 percent in the United States.

Opinions on building more nuclear plants were fairly equally divided in the United States, Britain and France, but clear majorities opposed them in Italy (60 percent), Spain (63 percent) and most strongly in Germany (77 percent).

When asked how much more they would be willing to pay for renewable energy, most people in all countries said either no more or only 5 percent more.

The poll was conducted online by Harris Interactive among a total of 6,255 adults aged 16-64 within France (1,102), Germany (1,029), Great Britain (1,056), Spain (1,006), the United States (1,002) and adults ages 18-64 in Italy (1,060) Sept. 15-21. Harris doesn't provide a margin of error for its polls.