Chart: The vast majority of Americans love solar and wind power

Enthusiasm for renewables cuts across the country’s cultural chasms.
By Eric Wesoff, Maria Virginia Olano

  • Link copied to clipboard

Supported by

Americans don’t agree on much these days. We’re at war over our path forward as a country, and even over Big Bird.

But the prospect of expanding our country’s solar and wind power resources has out-of-this-world polling results, with 90 percent and 83 percent responding favorably, respectively.

These are Dolly Parton–level approval numbers that cut across parties and cohorts — yet most politicians and the mainstream press choose to consistently overlook the public’s overwhelming love for renewable power sources.

A couple of members of Congress are looking to capitalize on solar’s broad appeal and boost the industry.

Canary Editor-at-Large David Roberts recently mused on the stunning popularity of solar power: This is something that is utterly remarkable about solar, and, especially in 2021, almost unique: It polls through the roof. It always has. It seems to defy political gravity in a way almost no other issue I can think of does.”

Support nonprofit journalism that topples the conventional wisdom. Support Canary Media.

Eric Wesoff is the executive director of Canary Media.

Maria Virginia Olano is editorial producer at Canary Media.