New poll shows Minnesota voters overwhelmingly support homegrown clean energy

80% of Minnesota voters support an “all of the above” energy strategy focused on lowering dependence on fossil fuels

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN – A vast majority of Minnesota voters across the political spectrum support accelerating the clean energy transition away from fossil fuels toward homegrown renewable energy that creates good-paying jobs in Minnesota, according to a new poll released today by Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM) and the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum (MnCEF). A full 80% of Minnesota voters support an “all of the above” energy strategy focused on lowering our dependence on fossil fuels.

Minnesota voters support placing more emphasis on wind (67%) and solar (62%) with self-identified Republican voters supporting placing more emphasis on these renewable sources. Additionally, by a nearly 3:1 ratio, (74% to 26%) Minnesota voters say it is important that a candidate for political office supports clean energy initiatives.

The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies between August 16-24, 2022, among 600 registered voters and has a credibility interval of ±4.56%. Other key findings include:

• A full 90% of Minnesotans believe it is important to protect the rights of property owners to produce energy on their land.
• By a 3:1 margin, 75% of Minnesota voters favor the government taking steps to reduce emissions that cause climate change.
• Over 80% of Minnesota voters want the process for installing renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, to be streamlined, while 88% want utilities to invest in more energy efficiency programs.
• Two-thirds of Minnesota voters believe mining for rare metals critical to the clean energy transition should be mined in-state, rather than imported from other countries; and nearly 80% of Minnesotans are more likely to support clean energy if Northeast Minnesota became an integral part of the supply chain.

“Voters across the geographic and political map of Minnesota are overwhelmingly supportive of policies accelerating the clean energy transition,” said George Damian, CEEM’s Director of Government Affairs. “The support for affordable and reliable renewable energy and good-paying local jobs that come with it is strong across our state. Buttressed by the recent federal legislation providing certainty to businesses innovating in this space, Minnesota policymakers should listen to their voters and focus on policies that support the move towards clean energy.”

“This survey shows once again that conservative and independent voters are supportive of the transition from fossil fuels to clean homegrown energy and the great opportunities it creates for our state,” said Kayla Christensen, Executive Director of the Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum. “Minnesotans inherently know landowners should be able to produce energy on their land without unreasonable barriers and our state has been blessed with natural resources that can be put to good use in the clean energy transition. Policymakers should remove unnecessary impediments standing in the way of innovation and allow the market to drive the energy transition in Minnesota.“

The full survey methodology and results are available here.

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About Clean Energy Economy MN (CEEM): CEEM is an industry-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit representing the business case for clean energy in Minnesota. CEEM provides a unified voice for clean energy business across the state. Our mission is to provide educational leadership, collaboration, and policy analysis that accelerates clean energy market growth and smart energy policies.

About Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum (MnCEF): The Minnesota Conservative Energy Forum was founded in 2016 to create a space for conservatives to engage in the clean energy debate by applying free market principles to energy solutions. MnCEF engages at the legislature, counties, and local governments across Minnesota to further this goal.