+ All Categories
Home > Data & Analytics > WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Date post: 09-May-2015
Category:
Upload: wilson-perkins-allen-opinion-research
View: 180 times
Download: 1 times
Share this document with a friend
Description:
As part of our continuing effort to arm our clients with up to the minute information about key issues that affect their business, organization, or election, WPA is proud to release the results of a nationwide survey on American energy opinions.
17
WPA Nationwide Energy Security Study n=606 Adults MoE=±4.0% Fielded April 1-14, 2014 © WPA. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of WPA.
Transcript
Page 1: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

WPA Nationwide Energy Security Study

n=606 Adults MoE=±4.0%

Fielded April 1-14, 2014

© WPA. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of WPA.

Page 2: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 2

Energy prices are the most important energy issue among Americans.

Most Important Energy Issue

1. Question one, thinking specifically about energy issues, please indicate which of these energy issues is most important to you by pressing the number on your keypad. Press one for energy prices, press two for increasing production of natural resources, press three for expanding renewable energy sources, press four for improving power plant and electrical grid security.

Energy Prices 43%

Expanding renewable energy sources

26%

Increasing production of natural energy resources

23%

Improving power plant and electrical grid security

8%

Page 3: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 3

Energy prices are the most important issue in the Midwest, Northeast and South. In the West, expanding renewable energy takes precedence.

Most Important Energy Issue by Region

1. Most Important Energy Issue

West (22%)

Energy Prices – 28% Increasing Production – 25%

Expanding renewable energy – 33% Improving security – 14%

Midwest (22%)

Energy Prices – 45% Increasing Production – 16%

Expanding renewable energy – 32% Improving security – 7%

Northeast (18%)

Energy Prices – 41% Increasing Production – 21%

Expanding renewable energy – 33% Improving security – 5%

South (37%)

Energy Prices – 51% Increasing Production – 27%

Expanding renewable energy – 15% Improving security – 7%

Page 4: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 4

High prices was the most common reason that energy prices was named the most important issue. A plurality of adults who believe that increasing natural energy sources is the most important energy issue cite an increase in energy independence as their reasoning. Those who listed expanding renewable energy sources did so because they want to protect the environment for future generations and the need to find new methods for producing clean energy.

Reasons for Being the Most Important Issue

Q2A. And why are energy prices the most important issue to you, specifically? Q2B. And why is increasing production of natural energy resources the most important issue to you, specifically? Q2C. And why is expanding renewable energy sources the most important issue to you specifically?

Prices are too high 75%

Prices are inconsistent

13%

Not enough cheap

alternatives 12%

2.A Energy Prices (n=259)

Increase energy independence

33%

We should be able to make our own

energy 30%

Lower the cost to Americans

26%

Improve national security

6%

Improve economy 5%

2.B Increasing Natural Energy Resources (n=140)

Need to protect the environment

for future generations

36%

Need to find new methods to

produce clean energy

33%

Need to prevent further climate

change 19%

Need to prevent air and water

pollution 12%

2.C Renewable Sources (n=157)

Page 5: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 5

A slight plurality of adults believes that our power grid is unsecure from a terrorist attack. Opinions are divided, however, and only a portion of the public has made up its mind on the issue.

Security of Power Grid from Terrorist Attack

Q3. And now, thinking about the security of the power grid and our electrical infrastructure nationwide, how secure would you say these things are from a terrorist attack? Press one if you’d say they’re very secure, press two for somewhat secure, press three for somewhat unsecure or press four for very unsecure. Press five if you don’t know or would rather not say.

44% 46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Total Secure Total Unsecure

Very Secure 11%

Somewhat Secure

33%

DK/Refused 10%

Somewhat Unsecure

25%

Very Unsecure

22%

Page 6: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 6

The South registers the highest levels of concern about grid security, though no region has strong confidence that the grid is secure.

Security of Power Grid from Terrorist Attack by Region

3. Security of Power Grid

West (22%)

Total Secure – 48% Total Unsecure – 42%

Midwest (22%)

Total Secure – 45% Total Unsecure – 45%

Northeast (18%)

Total Secure – 50% Total Unsecure – 43%

South (37%)

Total Secure – 37% Total Unsecure – 51%

Page 7: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 7

Americans overwhelmingly believe that securing our electric grid and infrastructure is a federal issue.

Who Should Be Responsible for Grid Security

Q4. And who do you believe should be principally responsible for security of the power grid and electrical infrastructure? Press one for the federal government or homeland security, press two for the state government, press three for the local police and press four for the utility companies themselves.

Federal Government/Homeland

Security 45%

Utility Companies 26%

State Government 23%

Local Police 5%

Page 8: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 8

While the South is more likely to believe utility companies should be responsible for grid security, more Americans in every region of the country believe grid security is a federal issue.

Who Should Be Responsible for Grid Security by Region

4. Responsible for Grid Security

West (22%)

Fed Gov’t/DHS– 42% Utility Companies– 21%

State Government – 31% Local Police – 6%

Midwest (22%)

Fed Gov’t/DHS– 44% Utility Companies– 28%

State Government – 20% Local Police – 8%

Northeast (18%)

Fed Gov’t/DHS– 55% Utility Companies– 13%

State Government – 29% Local Police – 3%

South (37%)

Fed Gov’t/DHS– 43% Utility Companies– 35%

State Government – 17% Local Police – 5%

Page 9: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 9

With energy prices being the most important energy issue, it is surprising that fully 40% of Americans would pay more to improve their infrastructure and prevent outages.

Willingness to Pay Higher Rates to Improve Infrastructure and Prevent Outages

Q5. Now thinking about your monthly utility bill. Would you be willing to pay higher rates on your monthly utility bills in order to improve local infrastructure to prevent more outages? Press one if you’d be willing to pay a lot more, press two if you’d be willing to pay somewhat more and press three if you would not be willing to pay more in order to improve local infrastructure. Press zero to repeat this question.

A Lot More 10%

Somewhat More 30%

No 60%

Page 10: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 10

Adults in the West are more willing than not to pay more to improve infrastructure and prevent outages, though at least a third in all regions across the country are willing to pay more if it improves service.

Willingness to Pay Higher Rates to Improve Infrastructure and Prevent Outages

5. Willingness to Pay Higher Rates

West (22%)

A Lot More – 7% Somewhat More– 43%

Not Willing – 49%

Midwest (22%)

A Lot More – 16% Somewhat More– 21%

Not Willing – 63%

Northeast (18%)

A Lot More – 12% Somewhat More– 23%

Not Willing – 65%

South (37%)

A Lot More – 6% Somewhat More– 31%

Not Willing – 63%

Page 11: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 11

Summary

Page 12: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 12

Summary and Recommendations

Energy prices are the top concern of Americans among energy issues. o A plurality of Americans (43%) believe that energy prices are the most important energy

issue facing the country today. And of those, 75% say that energy prices are important because prices are too high.

o Roughly one quarter of Americans believe that expanding renewable energy sources (26%) and increasing the production of natural energy sources (23%) should be our primary focus.

o Only eight percent of Americans view grid security as the key issue among energy issues.

A plurality of Americans believes that our energy grid is not secure against a terrorist attack. o Forty-six percent (46%) of Americans say that they don’t believe that the nation’s energy grid

is secure against a terrorist attack. o While 44% do say that the grid might be secure, only one-in-ten (11%) show confidence in

that, saying they think it is very secure.

Americans overwhelmingly believe that securing our electric grid and infrastructure is a federal issue. o Nearly half (45%) of Americans say that securing our power grid is the role of the federal

government. o Only one quarter (26%) say it is the utility companies’ job and fewer (23%) say it is a state

government role.

While most American’s are less willing to pay more for better service, a strong minority (40%) indicate that they would be willing to pay more.

Page 13: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 13

Research Design and Demographics

Page 14: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 14

Research Design

WPA Opinion Research conducted a study on the opinions of adults nationwide regarding energy issues. The poll was conducted among n=606 adults and the sample was selected utilizing Random Digit Dialing (RDD) methodology. Respondents were contacted by utilizing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology. The final results of the survey were weighted to match census data. Respondents were contacted by phone via recorded telephone interview April 1-14, 2014. The study has a sample size of n=606 adults. The margin of error is equal to ±4.0% in 95 out of 100 cases.

Page 15: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Demography

Age Result

18-34 30%

35-44 17%

45-54 18%

55-64 17%

65-74 9%

75+ 8%

Gender

Male 49%

Female 51%

Education Result

<High School 42%

Some College 29%

College Grad 18%

Post Grad 10%

Party

Republican 31%

Independent 24%

Democrat 35%

Ethnicity

White 67%

Hispanic 14%

African-American 12%

Asian 5%

Other 1%

Region

Northeast 18%

Midwest 22%

South 37%

West 22%

Page 16: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

Page 16

Contact

Page 17: WPA National Energy Security Study 140501

For additional information about this data, please feel free to contact:

Chris Wilson

Partner and CEO

202.470.6300 [email protected]

Matt Gammon Vice President

202.470.6300

[email protected]

Bryon Allen Partner and COO

202.470.6300

[email protected]


Recommended