the university of texas at austin energy poll fall 2013

American Perspectives on Energy

October 17, 2013

Sheril KirshenbaumDirector of The Energy Poll

Source: University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll

Impartial and authoritative source of public perspectives on energy to inform and guide

discussion, business planning and policy development


General Topics

• Energy prices and availability• Energy concerns• Satisfaction• Consumer behaviors and voting preferences

“Hot Topics”

Spring 2012: Hydraulic FracturingFall 2012: Energy, Voting Behavior, and the 2012 ElectionSpring 2013: Consumer Attitudes on EnergyFall 2013: The Energy-Water Nexus


Background• First questionnaire developed in 2010 (Inaugural launch Oct. 2011)• Collaborative effort with representatives from academic institutions, polling

companies, non-governmental organizations, energy producers and energy consumers

Fall 2013 – Fifth Release• Online survey conducted September 5-23, 2013• 2,144 respondents, weighted to reflect U.S. Census demographics


A Look At Respondents: Fall 2013


Interest in Energy Issues

September 2013 Base: 2144.All results based on weighted data

Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 201320%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

47%

52% 52%

48%


Income and Energy


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0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

0.25

0.55

0.11

0.26

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0.58

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0.6

0.17

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0.67

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Gender and Energy

September 2013 Base: 2144.All results based on weighted data Se

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0%

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20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0.44

0.6

0.17

0.33

0.51 0.51

0.67

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0.54

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0.25

0.45

0.35

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MenWomen


Politics and Energy


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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

DemocratRepublicanIndependentLibertarian


Should the federal government focus on developing…?

None of these

Coal

Nuclear

Oil

Natural Gas

Renewable technologies

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

4%

48%

53%

66%

82%

89%



The U.S. should export natural gas to other countries…


Spring 2013 Fall 20130%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

28%

34%

39%

30%33%

36%

AgreeDisagreeNeutral


Hydraulic Fracturing: Greater Awareness, Less Support


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

32%35%

42%40%

48%

41%

45%

38%

Familiar with the term "hydraulic fracturing" or "fracking"Support the use of hydraulic fractur-ing*

* Includes only those respondents who say they are familiar with hy-draulic fracturing or fracking. Base: 861




<35 35-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

32%

40%

46%

50%

Familiar with “hydraulic fracturing” sometimes referred to as “fracking”

Age


Gender and Hydraulic Fracturing


The government should focus on de-veloping natural gas

Support hydraulic fracturing*0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

77%

41%

86%

33%

MenWomen

* Among 861 respondents familiar with “hydraulic fracturing" or “fracking”


Trust in Energy Labels at Major Retail Stores

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

56%42%

25%

"Energy-saving" labels

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70% 59%

40%

25%

"Energy-efficient" labels



Trust in Energy Labels at Major Retail Stores

"energy-efficient" label "energy-saving" label40%

45%

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

59%

53%

60%59%

menwomen



Which country do you believe is the largest foreign supplier of oil for the U.S.?

SAUDI ARABIA – 58%Iraq – 15%

Canada – 13%Venezuela – 8%

Mexico – 3%Russia – 2%



Actual descending order for foreign oil imports to the U.S.

CANADA – 28%Saudi Arabia – 16%

Venezuela – 11%Mexico – 11%

Iraq – 6%Russia – 1%

Source: Energy Information Administration 2012


Americans who think that climate change…



10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

65%

73% 73% 72%

22%

16% 16%17%

13%11% 11% 11%

Is occurring Is not occurring Don’t know


“Climate change is occurring”


Democrat Republican Libertarian Independent0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

87%

52%

66% 68%

Political affiliation


Americans Energy Concerns

The impact of hydraulic fracturing on the natural environment

The impact of domestic oil drilling and production on the natural environment

The effect of our nation’s energy production and consumption on carbon emissions

The energy efficiency of your home

Developing renewable sources of energy

The portion of your household budget spent on energy

Depletion of water resources

Consumption of oil from foreign sources

Cost of electricity

Cost of gasoline

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

51%

55%

60%

64%

66%

70%

70%

71%

78%

87%



Consider water conservation and energy efficiency a priority


Energy efficiency

Water conservation

20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

72%

65%


Prioritize energy efficiency


Northeast Midwest South West50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

75%

80% 79%

71%70% 70%


What level of influence do the following have on the environment?


My personal actions

Large corporations’ actions

U.S. government’s actions

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

37%

72%

68%

“significant”


Americans satisfied with the job that each is doing toaddress the energy issues most important to them


The US CongressLarge US companies

Energy investors Oil and gas companies

US Department of EnergyCoal industry

Your local governmentYour state government

Nuclear energy industry Natural Resources Defense Council

Environmental Defense FundThe Sierra Club

President Barack ObamaUS Environmental Protection Agency

Energy entrepreneurs Hydroelectric industry

Small US companiesThe Nature Conservancy

GreenpeaceYour electric provider

Universities Renewable energy companies

Research institutes / think tanks Engineers and scientists

You / Your Household

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

9%15%

16%16%

17%17%

19%19%19%

20%21%21%

22%22%

23%26%

27%28%

29%31%31%

32%32%

38%50%


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American Attitudes on Hydraulic Fracturing

October 15, 2013



Impartial and authoritative source of public perspectives on energy to inform and guide discussion, business planning and

policy development

Fall 2013• Online survey conducted September 5-23, 2013• 2,144 respondents, weighted to reflect U.S. Census demographics


Hydraulic Fracturing: Greater Awareness, Less Support


10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

32%35%

42%40%

48%

41%

45%

38%

Familiar with the term "hydraulic fracturing" or "fracking"Support the use of hydraulic fractur-ing*

* Includes only those respondents who say they are familiar with hy-draulic fracturing or fracking. Base: 861





Democrats Republicans Independents Libertarians0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

38%

46% 47%50%




White African American Hispanic Other0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

44%

23%

37% 36%


Race



<35 35-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

32%

40%

46%

50%


Age


Should the federal government focus on developing…?

None of these

Coal

Nuclear

Oil

Natural Gas

Renewable technologies

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

4%

48%

53%

66%

82%

89%



Gender and Hydraulic Fracturing


The government should focus on de-veloping natural gas

Support hydraulic fracturing*0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

77%

41%

86%

33%

MenWomen

* Among 861 respondents familiar with “hydraulic fracturing" or “fracking”


The U.S. should export natural gas to other countries…


Spring 2013 Fall 20130%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

28%

34%

39%

30%33%

36%

AgreeDisagreeNeutral



[email protected]





American Attitudes on the Energy-Water Nexus

October 15, 2013




policy development

Fall 2013 Special Section: Energy-Water Nexus• Online survey conducted September 5-23, 2013• 2,144 respondents, weighted to reflect U.S. Census demographics


In which of the following areas do you think the United Sates uses the most water on an annual basis?


Agriculture / Farming

35%

Residential 30%

Industrial 29%

Mining4%

Other 1% Don’t know

1%


In preparing for our future water needs, the U.S. government…

is doing too many

things21%

should do more57%

neutral22%



A significant increase in wa-

ter prices32%

Discovering that you use signifi-

cantly more water (per square foot) than your neigh-

bors use5%

Both would affect my behavior equally

36%

Neither would af-fect my behavior

14%

Don’t know11%

Other 2%

Which of the following is more likely to lead you to reduce your household water consumption?



Consider water conservation and energy efficiency a priority


Energy efficiency

Water conservation

20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

72%

65%


Would like for the US government’s support or involvement to increase in…


Voluntary labeling of water-efficient products and equipment

Funding for new or expanded water and sewer facilities

Research and development on desalination (the removal of salt from sea water)

Adoption of efficiency standards for new water-using products

Rebates or tax incentives for homeowners to install water-efficient landscaping

Funding for repairing water and sewer facilities

Development of building codes to make new buildings more water-efficient

Research and development on water efficiency

Rebates or tax incentives for consumers that purchase water-efficient products

Enforcement of laws against pollution of drinking water

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

38%

47%

47%

49%

50%

54%

54%

56%

58%

65%



[email protected]





American Attitudes on Climate

October 15, 2013




policy development

Fall 2013• Online survey conducted September 5-23, 2013• 2,144 respondents, weighted to reflect U.S. Census demographics


Americans who think that climate change…



10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

65%

73% 73% 72%

22%

16% 16%17%

13%11% 11% 11%

Is occurring Is not occurring Don’t know




Democrat Republican Libertarian Independent0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

87%

52%

66% 68%





<35 35-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

77%74%

71%

60%

Age




Hispanic African American White Other0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

76%

82%

69%

84%

Race


Which of the following do you think is a contributingfactor in global climate change?


Other

Agriculture (including livestock)

Natural gas

Natural forces (not manmade)

Coal

Oil

Deforestation

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

7%

37%

41%

44%

59%

63%

74%


What level of influence do the following have on the environment?


My personal actions

Large corporations’ actions

U.S. government’s actions

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

37%

72%

68%

“significant”



[email protected]




the university of texas at austin energy poll fall 2013

News & Politics