News

Support for solar energy and offshore wind falls among Democrats and independents, AP-NORC poll says

News and Tribune · last updated

Americans’ support for green energy tax credits and renewable energies like wind and solar power has decreased in recent years, according to a new poll, driven by a softening in support from Democrats and independents.

The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that U.S. adults’ support for tax credits for electric vehicles and solar panels has weakened, as well as their enthusiasm for offshore wind farm expansion. While Democrats remain the strongest supporters of these initiatives, the poll reveals signs of growing cynicism within their ranks.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm%96 A@== C6DF=ED 4@:?4:56 H:E9 DH66A:?8 492?86D !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>AVD #6AF3=:42? 25>:?:DEC2E:@? :D >2<:?8 E@ C68F=2E:@?D C6=2E65 E@ 6?6C8J 2?5 4=:>2E6 492?86[ :?4=F5:?8 D=2D9:?8 E96 7656C2= H@C<7@C46 :? E96D6 56A2CE>6?ED] p?5 2=E9@F89 s6>@4C2ED 2?5 :?56A6?56?ED 92G6 H62<6?65 E96:C DFAA@CE 7@C D@>6 8C66? 6?6C8J :?:E:2E:G6D[ E96C6 92D ?@E 366? 2? :?4C62D6 :? DFAA@CE 7@C %CF>AVD 6?6C8J A@=:4:6D]k^Am

kAm%96 A@== 7@F?5 @?=J 23@FE c :? `_ &]$] 25F=ED — :?4=F5:?8 @?=J ` :? `_ s6>@4C2ED 2?5 23@FE a :? `_ :?56A6?56?ED[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E9C66\BF2CE6CD @7 #6AF3=:42?D — 2AAC@G6 @7 E96 H2J %CF>A :D 92?5=:?8 4=:>2E6 492?86[ H9:49 =2C86=J EC24<D H:E9 9:D @G6C2== 2AAC@G2= C2E:?8]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8ms6>@4C2ED 2?5 :?56A6?56?ED 5C:G6 564=:?6 :? DFAA@CE 7@C C6?6H23=6 6?6C8J 4C65:EDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmp3@FE e :? `_ s6>@4C2ED[ dgT[ 72G@C E2I 4C65:ED 7@C AFC492D:?8 2? 6=64EC:4 G69:4=6[ 5@H? 7C@> 23@FE f :? `_ :? a_aa] p>@?8 :?56A6?56?ED[ DFAA@CE 564=:?65 7C@> chT :? a_aa E@ agT] ~?=J @?6\BF2CE6C @7 #6AF3=:42?D DFAA@CE65 E9:D A@=:4J :? a_aa[ 2?5 E92E 92D?VE 492?865 >62DFC23=J]k^Am

kAmQpD 72C 2D E96 A@==FE:@? 8@6D ]]] E96 G69:4=6D ?@H252JD AFE @FE G6CJ =:EE=6 6>:DD:@?D E@ E96 2:C[Q D2:5 ys y@9?D@?[ 2 ea\J62C\@=5 s6>@4C2E 7C@> |625@HG:6H[ ‘:C8:?:2[ H9@ D@>6H92E @AA@D6D E2I 4C65:ED E@ AFC492D6 2? 6=64EC:4 G69:4=6] %92EVD A2CE=J 3642FD6 96 D66D E96 6=64EC:4 G69:4=6 >2?F724EFC:?8 AC@46DD 2D 6?6C8J :?E6?D:G6 2?5 36=:6G6D 82D@=:?6\A@H6C65 G69:4=6D 92G6 >256 :>AC@G6>6?ED H:E9 E96 A@==FE2?ED E96J 6>:E]k^Am

kAm%96 564=:?6 :? 72G@C:?8 D@=2C A2?6= E2I 4C65:ED H2D 24C@DD E96 3@2C5 C2E96C E92? 36:?8 4@?46?EC2E65 2>@?8 s6>@4C2ED]k^Am

kAmQu@C D@=2C A2?6=D[ :? 2== 9@?6DEJ[ x 5@?VE E9:?< E96JVC6 E92E 677:4:6?E J6E[Q D2:5 v=6?? $2G286[ fg[ 2 =67E\=62?:?8 :?56A6?56?E 7C@> #@4< w:==[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2] QxV5 C2E96C D66 E96> A@FC >@?6J :?E@ C6D62C49 2?5 ECJ E@ 86E E96 D@=2C A2?6=D >@C6 677:4:6?E 367@C6 E96J DE2CE 8:G:?8 E2I 3C62<D E@ E96 AF3=:4] x >2J 36 HC@?8 @? E92E[ 3FE E92EVD ;FDE >J E9@F89E]Qk^Am

kAm$4:6?E:DED D2J EC2?D:E:@?:?8 E@ C6?6H23=6 6?6C8:6D 2?5 5:E49:?8 7@DD:= 7F6=D E92E C6=62D6 A=2?6E\H2C>:?8 6>:DD:@?D 2C6 6DD6?E:2= E@ AC@E64E E96 A=2?6E] q:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD :? AC@;64E 8C2?ED 7@C 4=62? E649?@=@8:6D 2H2C565 5FC:?8 !C6D:56?E y@6 q:56?VD s6>@4C2E:4 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92G6 366? 42?46=65 3J E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ 2?5 E96 @77D9@C6 H:?5 D64E@C 92D 366? DEF?E65 3J %CF>AVD 6I64FE:G6 @C56C E92E A2FD65 2AAC@G2=D[ A6C>:ED 2?5 =@2?D 7@C H:?5 6?6C8J AC@;64ED]k^Am

kAmu6H6C E92? 92=7 @7 &]$] 25F=ED[ ccT[ ?@H D2J E92E @77D9@C6 H:?5 72C>D D9@F=5 36 6IA2?565 :? E96 &]$][ 5@H? 7C@> dhT :? a_aa] p3@FE 92=7 72G@C 6IA2?5:?8 D@=2C A2?6= 72C>D[ H9:=6 23@FE EH@\E9:C5D H6C6 :? DFAA@CE :? a_aa]k^Am

kAm(96? A6@A=6 2C6 4@?46C?65 23@FE E96 64@?@>J 2?5 E96:C A6CD@?2= 7:?2?46D[ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :DDF6D 2C6 D@>6E:>6D AC:@C:E:K65 =6DD[ D2:5 %2=3@E p?5C6HD[ 2? 2DD:DE2?E AC@76DD@C :? E96 56A2CE>6?E @7 8@G6C?>6?E 2E r@C?6== &?:G6CD:EJ H9@ H2D ?@E :?G@=G65 :? E96 A@==]k^Am

kAmQx E9:?< :E >2<6D A6@A=6 2?I:@FD E@ E9:?< 23@FE :?4C62D65 E2I6D @C :?4C62D65 DA6?5:?8 @? 6?G:C@?>6?E2= :DDF6D H96? E96 4@DE @7 688D 2C6 8@:?8 E9C@F89 E96 C@@7[Q p?5C6HD D2:5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{@H DFAA@CE 7@C %CF>AVD 677@CED E@ 6IA2?5 @77D9@C6 5C:==:?8 2?5 4@2= >:?:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%CF>A 92D 492>A:@?65 E96 6IA2?D:@? @7 @77D9@C6 @:= 5C:==:?8[ 2D H6== 2D 5@>6DE:4 4@2= AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am

kAms6DA:E6 2 564=:?6 :? DFAA@CE 7@C 6IA2?565 C6?6H23=6 6?6C8:6D[ E96 ?6H A@== D9@HD E92E @?=J 23@FE @?6\E9:C5 @7 &]$] 25F=ED E9:?< @77D9@C6 5C:==:?8 7@C @:= 2?5 ?2EFC2= 82D D9@F=5 36 6IA2?565 :? E96 &]$][ 2?5 @?=J 23@FE @?6\BF2CE6C D2J E9:D 23@FE 4@2= >:?:?8]k^Am

kAmx? 3@E9 42D6D[ #6AF3=:42?D 2C6 >F49 >@C6 =:<6=J E92? s6>@4C2ED E@ DFAA@CE 6IA2?5:?8 E96D6 6?6C8J D@FC46D]k^Am

kAm%CF>A 92D D@F89E E@ @A6? FA ?2E:@?2= >@?F>6?ED 7@C @:= 5C:==:?8[ 3FE >@C6 &]$] 25F=ED @AA@D6 E92? DFAA@CE 2F4E:@?:?8 @77 >@C6 AF3=:4 DA246 7@C @:= 5C:==:?8] ~?=J 23@FE @?6\BF2CE6C @7 &]$] 25F=ED 72G@C E9:D[ H9:=6 c :? `_ 2C6 @AA@D65] #6AF3=:42?D 2C6 >F49 >@C6 =:<6=J E92? :?56A6?56?ED @C s6>@4C2ED E@ 36 :? DFAA@CE]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mq:A2CE:D2? DFAA@CE 7@C 4@?DF>6CC632E6D 2?5 9@>6 2AA=:2?46 C2E:?8Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 t?6C8J $E2C AC@8C2> E92E 46CE:7:6D 2AA=:2?46D[ DF49 2D 5:D9H2D96CD 2?5 C67C:86C2E@CD[ 2D 6?6C8J 677:4:6?E C646?E=J 2AA62C65 :? 9625=:?6D H96? E96 t!p >256 A=2?D E@ D4C2A E96 AC@8C2>] %96 3=F6 2?5 H9:E6 =@8@ :D H6== C64@8?:K65[ 2?5 6IA6CED D2J E96 AC@8C2> 92D =@?8 925 3:A2CE:D2? DFAA@CE F?E:= C646?E=J]k^Am

kAm%96 A@== 7@F?5 E9C66\BF2CE6CD @7 s6>@4C2ED DFAA@CE AC@G:5:?8 4@?DF>6C C632E6D 7@C 677:4:6?E 9@>6 2AA=:2?46D[ 4@>A2C65 H:E9 e :? `_ #6AF3=:42?D]k^Am

kAm!2EC:4< qF4<[ dc[ 7C@> r9:428@[ 56D4C:36D 9:>D6=7 2D 2 =:36C2= #6AF3=:42? 2?5 :D 2 72? @7 E96 4@?DF>6C C632E6D 7@C 6?6C8J\677:4:6?E 2AA=:2?46D] QxE D66>D E@ H@C< :? E6C>D @7 EC2?D7@C>:?8 H92E A6@A=6 92G6 :? E96:C 9@FD6D[ 3642FD6 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 92G6 2 =@E @7 @=5 2AA=:2?46D 2?5 ;FDE 42?VE 277@C5 ?6H @?6D[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$276 2:C[ H2E6C[ >62E 2?5 AC@5F46k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 A@== 7@F?5 @?=J 23@FE a :? `_ &]$] 25F=ED 2C6 Q6IEC6>6=JQ @C QG6CJQ 4@?7:56?E :? E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?EVD 23:=:EJ E@ 6?DFC6 E96 D276EJ @7 E96:C 5C:?<:?8 H2E6C[ E96 2:C E96J 3C62E96 2?5 E96 >62E[ A@F=ECJ[ 7CF:ED 2?5 G686E23=6D E96J 3FJ :? 8C@46CJ DE@C6D]k^Am

kAmp3@FE c :? `_ &]$] 25F=ED 2C6 QD@>6H92EQ 4@?7:56?E :? E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?EVD 23:=:EJ E@ 6?DFC6 E96 D276EJ @7 6249 @7 E96D6[ 2?5 23@FE c :? `_ 2C6 Q?@E G6CJQ @C Q?@E 2E 2==Q 4@?7:56?E]k^Am

kAm%96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D 2??@F?465 A=2?D E@ C@== 324< CF=6D 2?5 A@=:4:6D C6=2E65 E@ =:>:E:?8 A@==FE:@? 2?5 8C66?9@FD6 82D 6>:DD:@?D[ DF49 2D CF=6D E92E =:>:E A@==FE:@? 7C@> A@H6C A=2?ED 2?5 3=@4<:?8 r2=:7@C?:2VD 677@CED E@ A92D6 @FE 42CD E92E CF? @? 82D] %96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 92D 2=D@ 4FE DE277 2E E96 u@@5 2?5 sCF8 p5>:?:DEC2E:@?[ E96 7656C2= 286?4J E2D<65 H:E9 AC@E64E:?8 AF3=:4 962=E9 2?5 6?DFC:?8 7@@5 DFAA=J D276EJ]k^Am

kAm000k^Am

kAm%96 p!\}~#r A@== @7 `[`dg 25F=ED H2D 4@?5F4E65 yF?6 d\h[ FD:?8 2 D2>A=6 5C2H? 7C@> }~#rVD AC@323:=:EJ\32D65 p>6C:$A62< !2?6=[ H9:49 :D 56D:8?65 E@ 36 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 @7 E96 &]$] A@AF=2E:@?] %96 >2C8:? @7 D2>A=:?8 6CC@C 7@C 25F=ED @G6C2== :D A=FD @C >:?FD c A6C46?E286 A@:?ED]k^Am