In recent years, there has been a significant shift in support for renewable energy among Republicans over the age of 50, according to polling data released by the Pew Research Center. This change comes at a time when renewable power is booming in states governed by politicians who have traditionally been skeptical of climate change concerns.

Despite Republicans generally having lower levels of acceptance of the evidence for climate change, many states with thriving wind and solar industries, such as Wyoming, Iowa, and Texas, are governed by Republican officials. This can be attributed to a strong bipartisan consensus in favor of expanding renewable power until around 2020, when support among Republicans began to decline dramatically.

Negative partisanship and the influence of the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, which has driven significant investments in renewable power, are key factors contributing to the drop in support. The Republican leader's skepticism towards wind turbines and offshore wind, along with conservative-backed groups spreading misinformation regarding solar power facilities, have further fueled opposition to renewable energy among older Republicans.

The Pew Research Center's polling data reveals a striking generational divide within the Republican party. Republicans under the age of 30 favored expanding renewable power over fossil fuel production by a 2-to-1 margin. However, Republicans over the age of 30 increasingly favored fossil fuels with advancing age, reaching a three-to-one margin in support of fossil fuels among those aged 65 and over. The decline in support for renewables started among those over 50 in 2020, with younger age groups maintaining steady support until 2024 when the 30-49 age group began shifting towards favoring fossil fuels.

In contrast, support for renewable energy among younger Republicans remains robust. Democrats, regardless of age, overwhelmingly back renewables by a significant margin and show no significant change in support over time. Additionally, Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to believe that a solar farm can positively impact the local economy.

The polling data also reveals rural-urban divisions, with urban residents more likely to view solar farms as beneficial to the local economy compared to rural residents. Furthermore, rural residents expressed concerns regarding the visual appeal and land usage of solar farms. Suburban participants generally fell in between rural and urban participants in their views.

While negative partisanship and the election of President Joe Biden have been identified as primary factors in the changing support for different energy sources among Republicans, the rapid expansion of renewable power has also played a role. The increasing visibility of renewable facilities and the perception of a changing society has led to some degree of backlash, which conservative lobbyists and fossil fuel interests have capitalized on.

As the United States continues to navigate the transition towards cleaner energy sources, understanding the dynamics of support across different age groups, political affiliations, and geographic areas will be crucial in driving effective policies and promoting widespread acceptance of renewable power.