CBS News reports:

A large majority of Americans in coal-heavy states favor increasing renewable energy use. Most would also be willing to buy solar panels for their own use, and a plurality would be willing to pay an additional $5 a month to get energy from fully renewable sources, according to a survey from Consumer Reports.

The consumer advocacy group spoke with 1,200 Americans, including 400 residents of coal-reliant states: Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. Residents of those four states largely agreed with Americans as a whole, the organization found.

Overall, 76 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “Increasing renewable energy (such as solar and wind) is a worthwhile goal.” The response rate from Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia was within the survey’s margin of error, while Ohio had the lowest rate, at 71 percent. (Major coal-producing states such as West Virginia and Wyoming did not have enough respondents to the poll to draw conclusions.)

A majority of respondents also favored solar for themselves. Between 52 and 57 percent said they would be willing to pay for solar panels if they could recoup the investment within five years. [Continue reading…]