Public less enthusiastic about renewables, but supporters still see a way

A new poll shows that most Americans still favor non-fossil fuel energy sources, but support for some renewable energy sources isn’t as strong now. A Wisconsin expert hopes the direct impact of climate change will reinforce the message.

The Pew Research Center released a new report on public opinion on energy choices. Of those surveyed, 63% support the U.S. taking steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, support for expanding wind and solar power has fallen from more than 80% to about 75%.

Dr. Ciaran Gallagher, energy and air manager for climate nonprofit Clean Wisconsin, says it’s important to remind residents that climate change is happening right on their doorstep.

“We can point to the drought that hit our farmers last summer and then, in stark contrast, the heavy rainfall and flooding that we’ve experienced this spring and summer,” Gallagher explained.

She cited the smoky air from last summer’s wildfires in Canada as another example. Advocates say such events can help persuade the public to regain confidence in renewable energy as policymakers try to curb climate catastrophes. Local opposition has emerged for various solar and wind projects. Gallagher acknowledged that’s not surprising, adding that misinformation and polarization are driving the change in attitudes.

Grid operators have warned that as more coal-fired power plants and other fossil fuels are taken offline to meet clean energy targets, reliability issues could arise in the short term as demand for power soars. But Gallagher said that doesn’t mean wind and solar can’t keep the lights on.

“The power source that has failed over the last few winters has been gas-fired power plants,” Gallagher noted. “Solar and wind have performed better than expected in some of the recent storms.”

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said that during the 2022 winter storm that will affect parts of the Midwest, 90% of long-term power outages were related to fossil energy sources.

The Pew study also found that Americans aren’t as eager to buy electric vehicles compared to a few years ago. Gallagher echoed predictions from agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics that organic growth will continue. She added that people currently taking advantage of federal incentives to make electric vehicles affordable will likely spur word-of-mouth marketing.

“We’ll see these numbers continue to grow as more people talk to their friends and family who were early adopters of these technologies,” Gallagher predicts.