Canary Mediaâ€s chart of the week translates crucial data about the clean energy transition into a visual format. Canary thanks Clean Energy Counsel for its support of the column.
Solar and wind power are more popular among Americans than nuclear power or fossil fuels, according to a May survey from Pew Research Center. Republicans as well as Democrats favor expanding the renewable energy sources — but Republican support for them has fallen sharply over the last eight years.
Democrats have always viewed clean energy more favorably than Republicans, but the gap between the two was once small. Now, after years of slipping Republican support, that gap is yawning.
Today just 64 percent of Republicans support expanding solar, down dramatically from 87 percent in 2016. Itâ€s a similar story for wind: Just 56 percent of Republicans support expanding it; in 2016 that figure was 80 percent. Meanwhile, Democratic backing for both technologies has hovered consistently around 90 percent over that period.
Support for clean energy has fallen fastest among older Republicans. Younger Republicans also view wind and solar less favorably now than they did in 2016, but their support for clean energy is still high. Over the past year, it actually increased: In 2024, 80 percent of Republicans aged 18–29 said the U.S. should build more solar and 75 percent said more wind power is a good idea, up from 77 percent and 71 percent in 2023, respectively.
Regardless of the overall downward trend, most Republicans still support expanding solar and wind development. Several GOP-controlled states — including Texas, Florida, Iowa, and Oklahoma — are among the nationâ€s leaders in solar and wind generation.
