While Legislature Debates Clean Energy Policy Changes, New Polls Show Vermonters Want More Solar In Their BackYards
WATERBURY, Vermont (PRWEB) March 31, 2016 -- Two recent polls found Vermonters not only support solar, but three-quarters of them want more solar farms in their towns and in their backyards. Vermonters revealed their support for clean energy development and additional solar projects to combat climate change while reducing state dependence on dirty foreign fuels. VPR and the Renewable Energy Vermont Education Fund conducted the independent surveys in an inaugural effort to ask pollsters across the state about solar.
These windows into public opinion come as the Legislature is considering changes to how and where clean energy will be allowed.
The overwhelming majority of Vermonters desire increased investment in clean energy, and they want to see these financial and environmental commitments in their communities. Here’s a breakdown of Vermonters’ responses:
• Vermonters support building more solar farms in Vermont (76%). (REV poll)
• Vermonters would support the development of large solar arrays in their communities (70%). (VPR poll)
• Vermonters are just as supportive of building more solar farms in their own towns (75%). (REV poll)
• Support for more solar farms extends across party lines, with Democrats (87%), Independents (65%) and Republicans (58%) all strongly supporting building more solar farms in their towns. (REV poll)
• Vermonters believe the current pace of solar development is about right or should be going faster (77%). (REV poll)
SunCommon’s co-founder, Duane Peterson, is encouraged by these findings. In serving more than 2500 Vermont homeowners with a solar solution at their houses or through community solar, his company has brought $49 million into the green energy sector – much of that remaining in state – that would have otherwise been spent on dirty or out-of-state energy.
“These results confirm the support for solar we are hearing from communities and residents across Vermont,” explained Rod Viens, Chair of the REV Education Foundation board. “All across the state, we hear from people that solar energy gives communities power and increases the state’s self-reliance with locally generated renewable energy that contributes to combat climate change. More and more communities are exploring opportunities to build solar projects.”
“As the legislature debates more changes to clean energy policy, this polling data confirms Vermonters’ clear interest in pursuing a clean energy economy – including near-by solar projects in their communities,” said Peterson.
For more information about these polls, go to:
http://digital.vpr.net/post/vpr-poll-races-issues-and-full-results#stream/0
http://www.revermont.org/pressreleases/
ABOUT SUNCOMMON
As Vermont’s largest solar business, SunCommon believes that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and safer world -- and clean energy is where it starts. Energy from the sun can power our lives, heat our homes and fuel our cars. Our mission is to tear down the barriers to renewable energy. We do that by making it easy and affordable for all Vermonters to go solar. SunCommon was chartered as one of Vermont's pioneering Benefit Corporations and is a Certified BCorp based on a rigorous third party assessment of our commitment to the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. The business is headquartered in Waterbury where most of our 65 workers operate out of Vermont’s largest net-zero office building, which produces more energy than it uses. In our first three years, SunCommon earned distinction as one of Vermont’s Best Places to Work, by the US EPA with an Environmental Merit Award and with a Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. SunCommon’s values-led business memberships include Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, Social Venture Network and Renewable Energy Vermont. For more information, go to http://www.suncommon.com.
Taryn Levy, PMG PR, +1 (802) 448-5514, [email protected]
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