• SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    The day one of my ultraconservative brothers-in-law installed solar panels was the day I knew renewables had already won.

    • shalafi@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Conservatives aren’t against solar, their politicians are paid to be so.

      I’ve never lived anywhere more conservative, and I’m from Oklahoma. Solar is exploding everywhere. I’d bet there are 1,000+ acres of solar farm between my house and camp, all brand new. And more coming.

      • mightyfoolish@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Doesn’t solar make your household independent from a big energy company? You would think conservatives in the sticks would especially appreciate renewable energy.

        • zeekaran@sopuli.xyz
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          5 months ago

          Only with batteries. Batteries often cost as much as the entire solar panel install.

          • mightyfoolish@lemmy.world
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            5 months ago

            I understand it’s a costly upgrade but at the end they would get the independence of government that many of them claim to want. But I get your point, people will lack what they can’t afford.

      • orclev@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        It depends. There’s a lot of areas in coal country that are deeply conservative in part because conservative politicians promise to protect coal jobs and to disrupt renewables. That of course varies by location, but E.G. Texas which has a large oil company presence is going to have a lot of conservative voters who are anti-renewable because they’ve made their career working in the petroleum industry. So while not every conservative is going to be against solar, quite a lot of them are.