Polling earlier this year from the South Carolina and Georgia branches of Conservatives for Clean Energy (CCE) details the growing support for clean energy development in those two states. Clean jobs have been on the rise in both, making clean and renewable energy popular with many voters across the region.
The 2019 SC Energy Poll was conducted with 500 likely voters in the state. Results found eight out of ten (81 percent) of the South Carolinians polled support developing in-state clean energy resources, with half of these voters “strongly supporting.”
CCE SC’s poll showed vibrant GOP support in the Palmetto State. Out of the conservatives surveyed, 72 percent support the development of clean energy. These are Republican voters who think that ramping up clean and renewable energy will help the state’s economic development.
“Our survey confirms that state conservatives not only support clean energy, they strongly support developing more renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Clearly, there’s no denying the growing strength of clean energy in South Carolina any longer,” said Luke Byars, CCE SC Advisor and longtime state political consultant.
South Carolina has found considerable success in clean energy over the past few years. 2014 energy legislation gave residential customers an affordable path to renewables by allowing homeowners to sell back excess energy produced by personal solar installations. The program was a hit, and over 3,000 solar jobs were created as a result. The polling suggests that clean energy will be a popular issue with voters in upcoming state elections.
In the neighboring state of Georgia, CCE unveiled the results of the Georgia Statewide Clean Energy Survey. The survey found that clean energy is popular with voters across the political spectrum, with a solid majority of the Georgians surveyed supporting in-state clean energy development.
“There is almost unanimous consent that the renewable energy industry is important to Georgia with nearly two-thirds saying it is very important. Nearly 75 percent of Georgians say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports acting to increase the development and use of clean energy. The poll results are very clear, both rural and suburban voters support renewable energy, and would like to see it continue to grow here in Georgia,” said Glenn Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies, the firm that conducted the survey.
CCE’s growing presence in the southern states shows opinions across the region are changing on what clean energy means for local jobs and economies. America’s energy future will get top billing in future campaigns nationwide as more states turn to clean industries as a way to get their citizens back to work.