ary·clean energyConservatives in my party killed clean energy: It’s time to resurrect itBy Neil Z. AuerbachBy Neil Z. Auerbach Neil Z.
Auerbach is a private equity investor and the CEO & Chairman of Hudson Sustainable Group.
Over the course of his 20+ years in the sustainability sector, Auerbach has led over 30 investments in 26 countries and is known for his early leadership in the financial services industry’s transition to clean energy investment.Which way will clean energy go?Getty ImagesConservatives me spent decades arguing that renewable energy strengthens American energy independence, yet those who once demanded freedom from foreign oil now bristle at grown solar and wind power.
I’m a lifelong Republican who has testified before Congress three times in favor of legislation to reform clean energy incentives. Many of my fellow conservatives have sought to suffocate the U.S.
renewables industry in their pursuit of energy independence despite both wind and gas turbines being mostly made in America.
The industry isn’t blameless: tying itself too tightly to a left-wing climate crusade alienated many on the right.
But surging electricity demand and market forces now offer the industry an opportunity for resurrection: reframe clean energy, not as eco-virtue signaling, but as a core component of U.S.
competitiveness and independence. Political miscalculation Over 80% of my fellow Republicans supported wind and solar energy in 2020, but by 2025 that has fallen to around 60%.
The erosion of support was the result of a miscalculation: renewable advocates aligned too closely with gressive climate , turning an industry once embraced by all into a left-wing cause, alienating conservatives along the way.
MAGA activists found their bette noir, turning “green energy” into an object of scorn. Republican officials who once welcomed renewable jects in their districts now echo anti-renewable talking points.
Although 70% of U.S. wind power is generated in red states (Texas alone gets nearly 30% of its electricity from wind), wind energy has become a pariah among the GOP base.
Market opportunity Dramatically rising electricity demand, driven by AI and electrification, may accomplish what hasn’t: make clean energy indispensable.
Traditional sources can’t scale fast enough: new nu and coal plants take decades, and even natural gas can’t ramp up quickly enough to meet near-term demand.
In contrast, wind, solar, and battery installations can be built in a fraction of the time.
Renewables vide zero-marginal-cost power, and a White House study warns that if we fail to add cheap capacity, AI-driven demand could send electricity prices soaring by 2030.
In short, renewables are no longer just climate virtue; they’re essential for keeping the lights on and energy bills low.
Conservative reframe To win back conservatives, renewable advocates must recast their message around freedom, security, and free enterprise — values that clean energy can champion.
Freedom: Conservatives prize personal liberty, which should include the freedom to generate your own power — a right already exercised by ordinary owners, not just elites.
Security: Domestic renewable energy is a fortress against foreign threats: solar panels generate power for decades, with only clouds and nightfall to worry .
Wind turbines can run for 25 years, and their components are largely U.S.-made. Once installed, no adversary can shut off the supply of sun or wind.
Free Enterprise: Renewable energy often undercuts fossil fuels on cost, and with federal clean energy tax credits expiring in 2027, the playing field will soon level.
Policies that block renewables aren’t “-market” — if wind and solar are cheaper, let them compete.
Far from being a Trojan horse for big government, clean energy exemplifies free enterprise at its best.
Path forward The clean energy sector is entering a make-or-break period: federal tax credits expire in 2027, leaving a two-year window to build as much capacity as possible while incentives last.
This looming deadline has triggered a blitz of development, compressing years of growth into a s.
Losing subsidies will hurt, but it’s also an opportunity for the industry to ve itself by slashing costs and innovating to compete.
Electricity prices have jumped 13% nationwide since 2022, due in part to a lack of cheap supply — not because of “too much” renewable energy as some claim.
Each utility rate hike only makes solar panels and batteries more appealing. If suppliers seize this moment to scale up and drive costs down, they can thrive on merit rather than mandates.
Conclusion America’s energy future shouldn’t be a partisan battlefield. Our sperity and security depend on abundant, affordable power from every source, including clean energy.
Clean energy isn’t a gressive scam — it’s just plain energy, and it happens to align with conservative values.
Let’s end the energy culture war and let free fuel the next era of growth so that America wins.
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