Support for “Clean Coal” as Energy Source Growing

Stronger than for nuclear power or natural gas

December 8, 2010 – More than six out of ten Americans believe that the U.S. energy industry should increase its investments in “clean coal” power plants to meet energy demand over the next several decades, according to results from the latest Market Strategies International E2 (Energy + Environment) Study. Support is wide-spread among segments except for those identified as “Ultra Green,” who typically are anti-industry and have very strong beliefs that global warming is occurring, is human-caused, and is a serious threat.

Market Strategies’ E2 (Energy + Environment) Study is a national survey designed to gain an understanding of American's attitudes and opinions about energy and energy-related issues.

“It’s interesting to see the growth in acceptance of ‘clean coal’,” said Jack Lloyd, a vice president in the Energy Division at Market Strategies.  “The coal industry has done a remarkable job communicating the value and abundance of coal. It also has worked hard to convince skeptics that it is committed to finding solutions to global warming.”

The majority of respondents believe utility companies should tailor their investments to support environmentally-friendly technologies. They believe utilities should be selective in the approaches they rely on in the future, listing them in order of preference as:

• 83 percent – renewable energy – Solar power, wind, geothermal, hydro and biomass.
• 79 percent – energy efficiency – Saving electricity through increased efficiency.
• 63 percent – clean coal – Technically capable of producing electricity with near-zero green house gas emissions but at significant cost. 
• 56 percent – nuclear plants – Reliable, expensive to build but efficient to operate; among the lowest-cost ways to generate electricity.
• 43 percent – natural gas – Proven, dependable and easy to operate.
• 15 percent – traditional coal plants – Major source of greenhouse gases.