POLL RESULTS: Americans receptive to local data centers powered by clean energy

 

 

Public opinion and the political landscape around data centers is evolving rapidly. In this quickly changing environment, Americans’ views of data centers are deeply fluid, though serious NIMBY concerns have emerged. However, decisionmakers have a unique opportunity to push for a version of data center development that is powered by wind and solar instead of fossil fuels. Americans are deeply receptive to that pivot as they seek solutions that ensure data centers benefit local communities rather than harm them. This survey used data from Heatmap to examine segments of Americans who live near current or upcoming data center sites, as well as contested data center sites, differentiating between urban/suburban and rural voters to give a more nuanced picture of opinions on the issue.

Thank you to partners who supported these findings