UPI Poll: Renewable energy and more cost

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- U.S. residents who took part in a UPI-Zogby International poll seem willing to sacrifice little for increased use of renewable energy sources.

The 8,182 poll participants were asked how much of a percentage increase on food and electricity costs they would be willing to accept to allow for greater usage of non-fossil fuel energy.

In both cases, the plurality of respondents said "nothing more," although in the case of electricity that plurality was within the 1.1 percentage-point margin of error of two other answers.

Some 26.5 percent of participants said they wouldn't be willing to pay anything more for electricity even if it was generated by sources such as wind or solar power. Some 26.3 percent said they'd be willing to pay an extra 6-10 percent and 26.1 percent said 1-5 percent extra. Another 11 percent said they'd be willing to pay an extra 11- to 25 percent and 4.4 percent said they'd take an increase of more than 25 percent to get more renewable sources going.

The plurality was more pronounced when the poll asked how much more the respondents would be willing to pay for food if they knew some crops were being used for bio-fuel production.

More than one-third -- 34.6 percent -- said "nothing more" while 27.4 percent said they'd accept a 1- to 5 percent increase and 20.9 percent said 6- to 10 percent. Seven percent gave the 11- to 25 percent answer and 3.2 percent said more than 25 percent.

The Zogby interactive poll was done June 15-18.