In case you didn’t know, some red states are going green: Republican-led states hold eight of the top 10 spots for new solar installations, according to an SEIA report published last month.
It’s not just solar. The vast majority (76%) of existing, planned, and under construction clean power capacity sits in Republican congressional districts (with Texas leading the way).
Why? “These states have really had an openness on energy types,” Kenneth Sercy, senior program analyst at the think tank Niskanen Center, told Energy Central. Whether it’s a gas plant or solar farm, he noted, Republican officials have sought locally produced power to add jobs and lower bills.
This openness lends itself to more favorable permitting processes for fossil fuels and renewables. Plus, these states have taken the most advantage of the tax breaks from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Some other ways that Trump-voting states have streamlined the clean energy buildout:
Indiana: Hoosier communities can receive assistance in writing clear requirements for wind and solar projects. This attracts developers while retaining local control, the Niskanen Center said in a report.
Arizona: The state offers sales tax exemptions for solar and wind equipment.
Texas: In a program that ran from 2005-2014, TX lawmakers ordered the state PUC to incentivize utility-scale wind development in certain regions—along with the thousands of miles of transmission needed to send that power throughout the state. Plus, as decided by the Texas Attorney General in 2023, counties can’t ban commercial solar projects.
Blue states are beginning to catch up: In February, Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer signed an executive order capping clean energy permitting timelines at six months. And as of Oct. 1, Massachusetts cities must offer an accelerated 12-month permitting process for small-scale renewables.
Yes, but: As both red and blue states make it easier to build, the balance is tilting away from clean energy and toward gas.
Renewables currently represent most planned US capacity, but the clean energy pipeline has fallen from a 2024 peak of 171 GW to 131 GW (as of June). Meanwhile, planned gas capacity has skyrocketed in recent months amid the data center frenzy.
The takeaway: Clean energy has proven itself economically across partisan lines. Now, “what's at stake is whether we continue to build off of that success,” said David Villagrana, a federal tax attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund.
That’s largely up to the winning candidates this midterm season and beyond—they’ll drive key energy decisions from the local to the federal levels. But right now, the grid’s future is looking murky.
“I would love to see red states continue to lead on this, but whether they will is a question mark,” said Jacob Corvidae, senior principal at RMI. 🔮