It seems that solar power is fast becoming a viable energy source throughout the USA, and there is strong public support behind it. A recent poll, the 2011 SCHOTT Solar Barometer, has shown that nine out of ten Americans think it is important to use and develop solar power. This was the same result as the past three years of the study.
In addition to this, US citizens showed strong support for federal investments in solar power. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President Rhone Resch states, “Eighty-two percent support federal incentives for the solar industry similar to those that traditional sources of energy like oil, natural gas and coal have received for decades”.
A further 14% of those polled indicated a desire for solar power in their own homes. Cost was the factor that held some back from solar power installation in their homes, more so than other factors like reliability or aesthetics.
During the teleconference where the poll results were revealed, the SEIA stated that they will spend much of the rest of the year supporting the solar power incentive programs offered by the federal government, particularly the 1603 Treasury Grant program, which has helped spur the continued development of solar power throughout the U.S.A.
