In a time of profound partisan division, it turns out there's something an overwhelming majority of Americans can get behind: more solar power.
An Instagram Reel by EnergySage shared the stunning results of a 2024 study.
"Nearly 90% of Americans are in favor of government programs to help homeowners go solar," the says. "That includes 78% of 2020 voters for President Donald Trump."
The clip also cites a survey from 2019, in which 92% of respondents said America should expand solar power. The lack of partisan split was equally encouraging: 86% of Republicans and 96% of Democrats backed the idea. The clip finishes with a map of the United States, highlighting the states that installed the most solar power in 2023, the year the Inflation Reduction Act went into full effect. Seven of the 10 backed the Republican candidate in 2024.
It's not difficult to see why solar power is so popular in the United States, and it's not because of the obvious environmental benefits. Reducing dependency on polluting dirty energy is a big plus for many, but many more are swayed by the financial benefits.
For homeowners, the long-term savings are huge. Solar is already much cheaper than other power sources, and it's only going to get cheaper. By 2030, it could cost as little as three cents per kilowatt-hour.
The survey found that Americans are also enthusiastic about the economic benefits that come with solar power. Three-quarters of respondents agreed that solar power is good for the economy. The evidence supports this. For example, Texas is undergoing a solar power boom, with over 600 companies employing 12,000 people.
The main sticking point for making the switch is the high initial cost, which the IRA mitigates. EnergySage has a useful tool to shop for quotes and get more information on installing solar panels. The future of solar subsidies is uncertain, with the Trump administration ordering a pause on IRA funding until April.
Still, if economic and environmental reasons aren't enough, there's always self-interest.
"The clean energy incentives passed as part of the IRA are wildly popular … and politicians from either party who want to repeal those incentives are putting themselves at great political risk," Andrew Baumann, partner at Global Strategy Group, which helped conduct the survey, said.
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