Consumer attitudes positive toward renewable energy: Survey

Consumers are now looking towards renewable sources of energy with a far more positive attitude in India. Almost half of the residential and commercial consumers surveyed are of the opinion that it is important for India to focus on solar power, as per the findings of a survey.

The “India Consumer Perceptions on Renewable Energy Survey,” was conducted by Mercom Communications India. “94 percent of commercial establishments that took part in the survey said steady power supply could bring a moderate to great improvement in their businesses.”

“Generally we found a lot of opportunities for the renewable energy industry to invest in educating and informing consumers and differentiating renewables from fossil fuels in a country that is hungry for power of any kind,”said Raj Prabhu, Mercom Capital Group CEO and Co-founder.

However, information about government subsidy programmes is not as widely available as it should be with only six in 10 (59 per cent) commercial respondents being aware of such subsidies.

30 per cent of commercial respondents and 21 per cent of residential respondents were familiar with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE label) products and their benefits.

The environment was underscored as the most important benefit of solar energy by 71 percent of commercial and 65 percent of residential respondents.

Prabhu commented, “Though solar was the most recognized energy source, favorability numbers weren’t as high as they could be. Coal, on the other hand, had a high percentage of neutral and no opinions. Generally we found a lot of opportunities for the renewable energy industry to invest in educating and informing consumers and differentiating renewables from fossil fuels in a country that is hungry for power of any kind.”

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