A significant shift in Republican support for renewable energy has occurred, dropping from over 80% in 2020 to about 60% by 2025. This reduction is attributed to the alignment of renewable advocates with progressive climate politics, which alienated conservatives. Despite the support from red states where a majority of wind power is generated, wind energy has been stigmatized within the GOP. However, increasing electricity demand driven by AI and electrification may lead to a resurgence of clean energy acceptance framed as central to U.S. competitiveness and independence.
Dramatically rising electricity demand, driven by AI and electrification, may accomplish what politics hasn't: make clean energy indispensable. Traditional sources can't scale fast enough: new nuclear and coal plants take decades, and even natural gas can't ramp up quickly enough to meet near-term demand.
Although 70% of U.S. wind power is generated in red states (Texas alone gets nearly 30% of its electricity from wind), wind energy has become a pariah among the GOP base.
Over 80% of my fellow Republicans supported wind and solar energy in 2020, but by 2025 that share has fallen to around 60%. The erosion of support was the result of a miscalculation: renewable advocates aligned too closely with progressive climate politics.
Conservatives have sought to suffocate the U.S. renewables industry in their pursuit of energy independence despite both wind and gas turbines being mostly made in America.
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