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A new public opinion poll shows strong bipartisan support for a national Renewable Energy Standard requiring utilities to generate at least 25 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025. The poll was released Tuesday as the wind energy industry gathered in the Windy City for the American Wind Energy Association's WINDPOWER 2009 Conference and Exhibition. For these 18,000 attendees and 1,200 exhibitors renewable energy means wind.

A bunch of polls have come out that find the public supports strong climate action in spite of aggressive and widespread Republican fear-mongering about energy prices. For instance, the new Washington Post/ABC poll of 1,072 Americans (here) found: While majorities across the board support government regulation of greenhouse gases, it peaks among liberals (88%) and under 30s (80%), vs. 61% of conservatives and 64% of seniors. Support also ranges from 85% of Democrats, 65% "strongly," to 64% of Republicans, 39% strongly. Concern about its cost is broader, and stronger, among those who'd presumably be hit hardest - lower-income adults.

The current energy crisis has made American voters look more favorably on a wide range of ideas that can be used to deal with our energy problems. But voters don't favor all of these ideas equally; they have clear views on which approaches they think will work best. Consider these data from a recent Quinnipiac University poll of voters in four key swing states: Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.