By Aaron Foyer
VP, Orennia
In late 2022, YouGov surveyed 1,000 American on their view of 17 different types of energy. The poll reveals distinct differences in how Democrats and Republicans view various energy sources. As you might expect, there was a strong divide between the parties.
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DEMOCRATIC VIEWS:
- Renewables: Democrats overwhelmingly favor renewable sources. Solar power received a net positive view of +79, and wind power +72, indicating strong support.
- Fossil fuels: Generally viewed unfavorably, with net negatives for coal (-57), oil (-46), and natural gas (-29).
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REPUBLICAN VIEWS:
- Fossil fuels: Republicans show more support for fossil fuels, with net positive views for oil (+19), natural gas (+29), and coal (+11).
- Renewables: While still supportive, Republicans are less enthusiastic than Democrats. Solar power has a net positive of +42 and wind power +17.
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COMMON GROUND:
- Biofuels, fuel cells and geothermal energy: Both parties show moderate support, with net positive views, indicating areas of potential bipartisan agreement. Solar power is the most favorably viewed type of energy in the country.
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DEEPER INSIGHTS:
- Solar and wind: Both parties support solar and wind energy, but the enthusiasm is notably higher among Democrats.
- Nuclear: Democrats are more divided on nuclear power, while Republicans tend to have a more positive view.
- Hydropower: Both parties view hydropower positively, but it garners higher support among Republicans.
The poll underscores the stark contrasts in energy preferences between Democrats and Republicans, highlighting the challenge of creating unified energy policies. While both parties favor renewable energy to some extent, the level of support and enthusiasm varies significantly.
Note: A “net view” is a metric used in surveys to gauge the overall sentiment toward a specific subject. It’s found by taking the percentage of respondents who have a positive view and subtracting the percentage who have a negative view. This results in a net score that indicates whether the general sentiment is more favorable or unfavorable.
For example, if 70% of people view solar power positively and 10% view it negatively, the net positive view would be +60. This score helps summarize overall attitudes in a clear, concise manner.
Poll: How Democrats and Republicans view energy sources differently
Aaron Foyer is Vice President, Research and Analytics at Orennia. Prior to Orennia, he leveraged his technical background in management consulting and finance roles. He has experience across the energy landscape including clean hydrogen, renewables, biofuels, oil and gas, petrochemicals and carbon capture.
