As energy costs continue to soar, and an increased reliance on traditional oil and coal is questioned, alternate sources of energy are examined more closely. Many in the five largest countries in Europe and in the United States like the idea of renewable energy, but do not want to pay any more for renewable energy sources. A majority of adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills in Great Britain (54%) and Germany (50%), pluralities in Italy (44%), France (42%) and the U.S. (40%), as well as just over one-third of adults responsible for paying household energy bills in Spain (35%), all say they would be willing to pay nothing more for energy if it was from renewable sources.

These are some of the results of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive(R) among a total of 6,448 adults aged 16 to 64 within France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain and the United States, and adults aged 18 to 64 in Italy, between January 30 and February 8, 2008.

When this decision of paying more is translated into actual currency, it makes it even less likely that people will be willing to pay more. Using European Commission estimates that it would cost each household an extra EUR 150, GBP 110 or $220 (depending on country) per month to cut greenhouse gasses and get more renewable energy, strong majorities of adults who have some form of responsibility for paying household energy bills in all six countries say they would be not at all likely to pay this extra amount.

Looking at taxes on cars, here majorities favor a higher tax on higher carbon emission cars. From a high of 78 percent of adults favoring this idea in Spain to a low of just over half (53%) of adults favoring it in the U.S., it is a winning idea. An even stronger idea is that of having a lower tax on lower carbon emission cars. At least three-quarters of adults in all six countries favor this idea. In fact, majorities of Italians (53%) and Spaniards (55%) strongly favor lower taxes on lower carbon emitting cars.

Building New Sources of Energy

Looking specifically to two sources of energy - nuclear and wind - majorities of adults in these six countries are in favor of one type and mixed on the other. When it comes to the number of wind farms in their country, strong majorities in all six countries (from 79% to 92%) are in favor of seeing a large increase. Nuclear energy, on the other hand, produces more mixed feelings. A majority of Italians (58%) are in favor of building new nuclear plants in their country. Two-thirds of Spaniards (68%) as well as 64 percent of Germans and just over half (55%) of adults in Great Britain, however, are all opposed to building new power plants in their respective countries. France and the U.S. are more closely divided. In France, 51 percent are opposed while in the U.S., 52 percent favor building new power plants.

Government Subsidies

When it comes to actually having the government create a financial subsidy for the development of nuclear power, the feeling equals those of building new plants. Italians are most supportive, as three in five (62%) are in favor of such a subsidy. Majorities in Germany (66%), Spain (64%), Great Britain (58%) and the U.S. (54%) are all opposed to a subsidy for nuclear power development. Again, France is the most divided as 52 percent oppose this subsidy while 48 percent would be in favor of it. Bio-fuels, however, are a different story. Strong majorities in all six countries (from 65% in Germany to 90% in Italy) would favor a government subsidy for bio-fuels.

So What?

Support for bio-fuels and wind farms is strong across these six countries. But, what is also clear is that while people support renewable electricity, they are not willing to actually pay more for these alternative types of energy. Until people are forced to do so, or the price for renewable energy comes down considerably, people will not make the "green" choice. This is especially true as economies around the globe tighten. When it comes to food or solar power, food will win for the consumer each time.

Questions and tallied results can be accessed by clicking on the link below.

This FT/Harris Poll was conducted online by Harris Interactive among a total of 6,448 adults (aged 16-64) within France (1,076), Germany (1,111), Great Britain (1,087), Spain (1,109) and the United States (1,020) and adults (aged 18-64) in Italy (1,045) between 30 January and 8 February 2008. Figures for age, sex, education, region and Internet usage were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult populations of the respective countries. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls and of the British Polling Council.

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About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is one of the largest and fastest-growing market research firms in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll(R), one of the longest running, independent opinion polls, and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its North American, European and Asian offices, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.

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Harris Interactive Inc. 2/08