WASHINGTON — Americans remain broadly supportive of renewable energy, but enthusiasm has declined since 2020, particularly among Republicans, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

The findings, released this week, reflect changing public sentiment amid ongoing policy shifts and political rhetoric prioritizing fossil fuel development. The survey of 5,085 U.S. adults, conducted April 28 to May 4, 2025, examined Americans’ views on energy production, electric vehicles and related issues.

The Pew Research Center report shows that while a majority of Americans still support expanding wind and solar power, those figures have dropped significantly from the end of the first Trump administration. In 2020, 83% of Americans favored more wind power and 90% supported more solar power. In the latest survey, support has fallen to 68% for wind and 77% for solar.

The decline is largely driven by Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. In 2020, 84% of Republicans supported more solar power and 75% supported more wind power. Those numbers have dropped to 61% and 48%, respectively. Meanwhile, Republican support for fossil fuel development has risen, with 75% now favoring offshore oil and gas drilling, 69% supporting hydraulic fracturing, and 67% backing coal mining.

At the same time, support for nuclear energy has increased across party lines. Nearly six in 10 Americans (59%) now favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity, a notable rise from 2020 when opposition outweighed support. Both Republicans and Democrats have shown more openness to nuclear power as part of the country’s future energy mix.

The partisan divide on energy priorities has also shifted. Overall, 60% of Americans say the country should prioritize renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, down from 79% in spring 2020. Among Democrats and Democratic leaners, support remains strong, with 91% favoring more solar and 87% backing more wind power. Eighty-six percent of Democrats say the U.S. should prioritize renewable energy development.

Republican attitudes have reversed over the past five years. In 2020, 65% of Republicans supported prioritizing renewables. Today, 67% say the country should focus on fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas.

Generational differences persist within the Republican base. While younger Republicans remain more supportive of renewables than older party members, their backing has also declined. Among Republicans ages 18 to 29, 51% now say renewable energy should be the priority — down 16 percentage points from 2024.

The Pew survey also examined Americans’ views on electric and hybrid vehicles. Forty-five percent of respondents said they would seriously consider purchasing a hybrid vehicle, compared with 33% who said the same about electric vehicles. Democrats were more likely than Republicans to express interest in either type of alternative vehicle.

The public remains skeptical of proposals to phase out gasoline-powered cars and trucks. A majority of Americans oppose ending production of new gas vehicles by 2035, and opposition has grown since 2021 among both major political parties.

The survey findings come as Congress considers policies that would speed up approvals for oil and gas projects and reduce incentives for low-carbon energy development. The data underscore a growing political and public divide over the future of energy in the United States.