New Poll: 84% of Massachusetts Residents Want the Freedom to Choose Clean Energy

AMHERST, Mass., May 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new poll shows that Massachusetts residents overwhelmingly want to be able to choose their energy supplier, choose clean energy, and want more renewable energy in the Massachusetts power system. The poll commissioned by CleanChoice Energy, a renewable energy company providing 100% clean electricity, was conducted by SurveyUSA. SurveyUSA interviewed 550 Massachusetts adults who rent or own their home, pay their utility bills, and have at least some input on the household choice of their utility company. Support for clean energy choice cut across the typical partisan divide with both Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly agreeing that they want to be able to choose clean energy. To date, CleanChoice Energy has helped Bay Staters reduce air and carbon pollution by 142 million pounds by switching to 100% renewable energy.

Highlights from the new survey:

• 84% of Massachusetts residents want to be able to choose clean, renewable energy as a source for their home.
• 83% of Bay Staters want to be able to choose who provides their electricity.
• 74% of Massachusetts residents would be interested in 100% of their electricity being renewable energy if provided the option.
• 81% of residents want the right to choose an alternative provider even if their city or town has selected a provider through a municipal aggregation program.
• Bay State residents overwhelmingly support the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) model for clean energy delivery (77%), more than rooftop solar (48%) and other home efficiency products and smart thermostats (68%).

Survey results can be found here.

The new polling bolsters the case that Massachusetts consumers are supportive of electricity supply options provided by Renewable Energy Supply Companies (RESCOs). The ability to choose clean energy is largely available to Bay State customers today because of the retail electricity market. Without the retail electricity market, hundreds of thousands of customers would not be empowered to choose their fuel mix. While the retail market also includes municipal aggregations, 78% of municipal aggregations do not offer 100% renewable energy as the default option^[1]. Other methods to choose clean energy include solar panels (accessible to only a small fraction homeowners) and community solar which is limited by the availability of projects. 

CleanChoice Energy provides 100% renewable retail electric supply in Massachusetts and is currently expanding its community solar offerings. The company has made social responsibility a core value and has provided over $1.5 million in support to more than 50 nonprofit environmental and social impact organizations. CleanChoice Energy's giving has powered it to the highest level of B Corp certification, with a company score 50 percent higher than the required score for B Corp certified companies. CleanChoice customers have avoided more than 3 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions—the equivalent of not burning more than 1.6 billion pounds of coal.

About CleanChoice Energy

CleanChoice Energy is a renewable energy company empowering utility customers to cut emissions and support clean energy. The company provides renewable electricity to customers by supporting regional wind and solar farms in markets where customers have an energy supply choice, and selling that clean power to homes and businesses. CleanChoice Energy makes it easy for customers to support local solar development by enabling them to participate in community solar markets. CleanChoice Energy is a Certified B Corporation, a member of the American Sustainable Business Council and the U.S. Green Building Council, and is certified with the highest available rating by Green America's Green Business Network, the first and largest network of socially and environmentally responsible business. For more information or to become a customer, visit www.cleanchoiceenergy.com

^[1] Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities

SOURCE CleanChoice Energy

Related Links

http://www.cleanchoiceenergy.com