A recent Pew Research Center survey, “How Americans View National, Local and Personal Energy Choices,” finds that there’s been a dip in support for wind and solar development since 2020.
Per the responses of approximately 8,700 U.S. adults, the share of those who support solar and wind expansion has dropped 12{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} and 11{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce}, respectively, in the last four years.
Interest in EV purchases are down as well, from a year ago.
Of those surveyed, 63{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} support the U.S. becoming carbon-neutral by 2050, with 65{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} advocating doing so through renewables development.
This mentality doesn’t extend to personal consumption, however, as only 25{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} of adults gave limiting their own carbon footprint a high priority.
The report further found that declines in support for renewables have been driven by Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, with 64{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} of the demographic favoring more solar farms, down 20 percentage points from 2020.
When it came to wind, 56{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce} of Republicans supported more projects, down from 75{c431b1036349617aea55b35aa92592c3cb3fecc7f94273a754a3b674e9a603ce}.
Over this same time period, views among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters haven’t shifted much, with most supporting renewables development.