耶魯大學最近公佈一項最新民意調查，顯示多數美國人在可負擔的情況下，也希望採取行動，節省住家與交通的能源消耗；換句話說，「費用」是美國人不願採取節能行動的最大障礙。
這項民調實施期間為2008年9月至10月，以全美民眾抽樣出2100多人為訪問對象。節能行動包括：在自家隔熱、依天氣調整住家環境、安裝太陽能板、將冷暖器設為省能模式、購買燃料效能較高的車款等。
民眾願意採取上述行動，最普遍原因雖然是省錢，但也不乏有受訪者表示他們更樂意減緩全球暖化，是因為道德原因，或者是因為這讓他們「自我感覺良好」。
總結來說，大約半數受訪者表示他們已經在住家中實行省能，而另外一半的人表示將在一年內會傾向這麼做。
另一項由「電能研究中心」（Electric Power Research Institute）發布的分析顯示，實施能源效能計畫，確實能讓美國電力需求下降。若未來20年能消除民眾採取節能行動的障礙，耗電成長率將有望降低22%。而至2030年更有可能省下2360億度電，這是目前紐約市一年耗電量的14倍。
電能研究中心在這項報告中所定義「可實際達成的願景」，包含預測消費者行為、現行市場、社會與個人心態障礙、以及法規與計畫補助上的限制。
他們表示，最關鍵的挑戰，就是如何在最可能節省能源效率的情況下，也確保這樣的新電力時代能被信賴並可達到人們未來的需求。
電能研究中心的分析報告「美國節省能源效率與需求反應之潛能評估」發現在某些理想的條件組下，至2030年消耗成長率每年能降低0.68%。而要達成這些理想條件，有賴於投資以及政策與法規的支持配合。
Many Americans want to save energy at home and when they travel, if they can afford to do so, Yale University said today, releasing the results of a new public opinion poll.
Based on a nationally representative survey of more than 2,100 Americans conducted in September and October, the poll shows that cost is the highest barrier preventing Americans from taking more energy-saving actions.
While saving money is the most common reason why people take energy-saving actions such as insulating and weatherizing their homes, installing solar panels, setting their thermostats to more energy-efficient levels and buying a more fuel-efficient car, many respondents said they also were motivated to reduce global warming, because it is the moral thing to do, or because these actions make them feel good about themselves.
Overall, roughly half of respondents say they have already made energy-efficiency improvements to their homes, while many others say they intend to do so in the next 12 months.
A separate analysis released today by the Electric Power Research Institute shows that energy efficiency programs in the United States could offer a substantial payoff in reducing electricity demand. The rate of growth for electricity consumption could be cut by 22 percent over the next two decades if barriers to consumer action can be addressed.
The potential energy savings in 2030 would be 236 billion kilowatt hours, an amount of energy that EPRI compares to the annual electricity consumption of New York City times 14.
The report defines what EPRI calls "a realistic achievable figure that includes a forecast of likely customer behavior, taking into account existing market, societal and attitudinal barriers as well as regulatory and program funding barriers."
The key challenge, EPRI says, is to "maximize potential gains in energy efficiency while ensuring adequate new electric generation to maintain reliability and meet future demand."
The EPRI analysis, "Assessment of Achievable Savings Potential From Energy Efficiency and Demand Response in the U.S.," found that under an ideal set of conditions, the consumption growth rate could be further reduced to as low as 0.68 percent annually by 2030.
Achieving that ideal would require costly investments as well as political and regulatory support, EPRI concludes.
