While the current Administration guts all inquiries into climate change and forces through unwanted oil and gas pipelines across the country, U.S. consumers have sent a clear message that they are interested in alternative energies.
In 2016, a study shows, the number of solar panels being installed across the country increased by a whopping 95 percent. That number includes large increases in both the public and private sector, showing that both regular Americans and businesses are investing in alternative energy.
Currently, the U.S. is lagging behind other nations in investing in alternative energy. The global competition is being led by China, who, as of just a few days ago, became the official leader in solar power planet-wide. Not to be outdone, India unveiled the world’s largest solar power plant in November of 2016, an admirable accomplishment for the high-population nations.
According to ThinkProgress, much of the interest in solar power comes from states that have shown solar-friendly leanings.
“The geographical diversity (California, of course, still reigns supreme) of states with installed solar capacity speaks to the importance of state-level policies. Where state leaders have encouraged utilities to transition to clean energy, through renewable portfolio standards, for instance, or where regulators have ensured that homeowners get fair market value for the electricity they supply, solar has boomed.”
Of course, now that our current administration has shown more of an interest in expanding the U.S.’s dependence on oil, we cannot expect the U.S. to rejoin the competition anytime soon.
This increase in interest and cold hard cash being shown by American consumers may inspire legislators and political leaders to look more closely at the alternative energy beaming down on us from space.
