Conservative thought leaders have taken a look at the realities of deploying new generation, vital for their AI initiatives, and recognized the imperative to deploy clean energy – solar at least.
Polling above shows broad support among Trump voters for solar – one wonders if the numbers would be even stronger if the poll was taken today in light of the ongoing war.
The global race to lead in artificial intelligence is often framed as a battle over chips, algorithms, and computing power. But behind every data center and advanced processor sits something far more fundamental: electricity.
Artificial intelligence requires enormous amounts of electricity. Data centers that support AI applications must run continuously, consuming electricity at levels that rival small cities. As the United States invests in AI, advanced manufacturing, and the reshoring of critical industries, electricity demand is expected to grow at levels not seen in decades.
That reality has major implications for American energy policy. If the United States wants to remain the world’s leading economic and technological power, we must ensure that the energy system supporting that growth is reliable, affordable, and most importantly – abundant.
Conservative commentators on X are increasingly drawing attention to this. Unfortunately, while America is debating everything, China is building everything. Over the last decade, Beijing has rapidly expanded its electricity generation across virtually every resource category, from coal and nuclear to wind and solar. Their strategy is simple: build enough power to support industrial growth and technological leadership.
Fortunately, American voters appear to recognize what is at stake. A recent poll conducted by former Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway found that conservative voters overwhelmingly support expanding American energy production. The survey, conducted across key states including Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Texas, found that 75 percent of Republican voters support solar energy, while more than 80 percent are concerned about the risk of rolling blackouts due to electricity shortages.
American Council on Renewable Energy:
We got to hear a deep dive from polling expert Kellyanne Conway about her recent survey that shows 83% of Americans think solar is essential to U.S. energy security. Conway explained a critical point in her polling strategy: When you give Americans objective data, they will share what matters most to them. She said that Americans are motivated by affordability, reliability, and security – whether that’s job security, energy security, or national security.
For developers and investors working to get projects approved, understanding people’s perceptions is just as important as understanding the technology.
Conway’s team surveyed 1,000 voters across Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Texas, finding that 75% of Trump supporters agreed that “solar energy should be used in the US to strengthen and increase our energy supply.” Majorities also recognize solar as a critical tool for making power more affordable and ensuring the grid is ready to meet future electricity demand.
“Solar should be seen not as government-favored or ideological,” Conway said in her report. “It is a pragmatic solution to multiple issues voters are prioritizing – affordability, reliability, and security.”
E&E News:
Environmentalists and solar power proponents have found a pair of surprise allies: Katie Miller and Kellyanne Conway.
Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and Conway, the polling guru who led President Donald Trump’s first campaign, raised eyebrows this month when they publicly touted the clean energy source that has come under fire from the Trump administration.
According to a confidential strategy memo obtained by POLITICO, their advocacy is aligned with a campaign by members of the nation’s largest renewable energy lobby group to MAGA-fy solar power — technology that Trump once derided as “a blight on our country.”
Solar Energy Industries Association:
So, why are GOP voters standing up for solar? Because they are seeing it deliver results.
Dominating Deployment
Red states are leading the nation in new solar deployment because competitive markets are choosing the lowest-cost and fastest-to-build resources.
In 2025, 73% of all new U.S. solar capacity was installed in states that voted for President Trump in 2024. States like Texas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Arkansas are routinely setting deployment records.
Just this month, Texas’ grid was running a record 30,000 megawatts of solar, at times providing 60% of total demand and keeping prices stable. Indiana installed more solar in 2025 than all six New England states combined. Conservative states are allowing competitive markets to choose the lowest-cost and fastest-to-deploy resources, and the market is choosing solar.
That strategy is a boon for economic investment. Companies looking to build data centers or advanced manufacturing facilities want reliable and competitively priced electricity. Arkansas Senator John Boozman credited his state’s “reliable, affordable, and all-of-the above energy supply, including solar” for attracting a multi-billion-dollar data center to Little Rock.
Conservative Energy Network again:
The AI revolution will reshape the global economy forever. The only question is whether the United States will unlock the energy abundance needed to lead it. China has already made its choice by rapidly expanding its power infrastructure across every available resource. If America wants to remain the world’s technological and economic powerhouse, we must meet this moment with the same urgency and build the required infrastructure to power the industries of the future.
In the end, the country that wins the AI race will be the country that can power it.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/17/revealed-world-worst-methane-leaks-global-heating