Dive Brief:
- A slight majority of right-leaning voters — 51% — surveyed in a poll commissioned by utility-scale solar manufacturer First Solar said they favor the use of utility solar energy, with 30% opposing it and 19% declining to take a position.
- “If the panels used for solar energy are American-made with no ties to China, support for solar energy soars higher,” said a memo from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, the research firm that conducted the survey. “Those in favor jump to 70%, while only 19% remain opposed.”
- First Solar said in a release that the survey also found 52% of GOP-aligned voters are more likely to support a Congressional candidate who supports an all-of-the-above energy agenda and American companies building solar manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
Dive Insight:
The survey polled 800 Republicans, Republican-leaning independents and Trump voters. Of those surveyed, 68% said they agreed with the statement, “We need all forms of electricity generation, including utility solar, to be built to lower electricity costs.”
In a memo, Fabrizio, Lee & Associates noted that when solar energy is American-made, the number of respondents “strongly” in favor more than doubles from 17% to 36%.
A large majority of those surveyed, 79%, also agreed with the statement that all forms of electricity generation, including utility‑scale solar, should be allowed to compete fairly in the marketplace without political interference.
The poll comes as the solar industry faces political interference from the Trump administration. After slashing subsidies for clean energy last year in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the administration is now delaying permits, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, which projects a potential 27% decline in new solar capacity from 2026 to 2030, compared to a base case.
SEIA has accused the government of implementing a “blockade” that threatens the deployment of 116 GW of solar projects.
“Developers that have already secured local zoning approvals, completed environmental studies, and worked hand-in-hand with nearby communities are suddenly unable to move forward because their projects must still consult with federal agencies before construction can begin,” SEIA said in a November release.
First Solar is the largest solar manufacturer in the U.S., generally selling to large-scale utility solar developers. The company anticipates reaching a global annual nameplate manufacturing capacity of over 21 GW this year.
The company said in November that it is facing trade and policy headwinds and is boosting its production in the U.S. as a result. First Solar’s Chief Financial Officer Alexander Bradley said at the time that the company’s pipeline remains healthy despite some churn, but William Blair stock analyst Jed Dorsheimer warned investors in a note to be wary of the company seeing additional cancellations.
First Solar’s release of this polling presses the idea that the voters who delivered President Donald Trump into office a second time may not back all his energy policies, particularly those seen as stifling new generation.
The company quotes Fabrizio, Lee & Associates as saying, “GOP+ voters want America to have energy independence and for their electric bills to be affordable. They understand that utility solar energy is a key aspect in allowing that to happen, especially when the panels for that solar energy can be made right here in the U.S. without any ties to China.”
“It’s time for us to focus on what’s important to our country — a commonsense approach to power generation that deploys all the tools available,” said First Solar Executive Vice President Samantha Sloan.
