Who is willing to pay more for renewable energy?

Based on two national surveys conducted between 2018 and 2019, the report finds that 47% of Americans are willing to pay more for renewable energy, with an overall average additional payment of $16.25 per month. Willingness to pay is driven by perceptions of health risks from fossil fuels, economic benefits of renewables, and political ideology, rather than income levels.

• Nearly half of Americans (47%) expressed a willingness to pay more for electricity from 100% renewable sources, while 50% stated they would pay $0. The average additional amount Americans are willing to pay is $16.25 per month, which rises to an average of $33.72 per month among those willing to pay at least some amount.
• Specific demographic and ideological groups are more likely to be willing to pay more for renewable energy, including liberal Democrats, younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, and individuals with graduate degrees. This willingness is also higher among those who believe fossil fuel air pollution harms human health and that renewable energy strengthens the economy and creates jobs.
• Income level is not a primary driver of the willingness to pay more for renewable energy, suggesting that the decision is not based on the ability to afford the cost.
• The report suggests that as the costs of generating electricity from renewable sources continue to decline, the public's willingness to pay more will become less relevant, as consumers may eventually pay less for renewable energy.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2019). Who is willing to pay more for renewable energy? https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/who-is-willing-to-pay-more-for-renewable-energy/

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Who is willing to pay more for renewable energy? 2019. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/who-is-willing-to-pay-more-for-renewable-energy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Who is willing to pay more for renewable energy? |date=16 July 2019 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/who-is-willing-to-pay-more-for-renewable-energy/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2019who, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Who is willing to pay more for renewable energy?}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2019}, month = jul, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/who-is-willing-to-pay-more-for-renewable-energy/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }