A poll released today from the progressive strategy firm Data for Progress found the American public did not buy into a relentless propaganda campaign from right-wing media, which attempted to blame the Texas blackouts on renewable energy sources.
Instead, the public understood the reality of what went on: All power sources in the state had failed, including the state’s primary fossil fuels.
The poll asked respondents which of the following options caused the power outages in Texas:
- Unusually cold winter weather conditions caused Texas power plants, including coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy sources, to go offline. This caused power outages across the state.
- Texas invested too much in renewable energy like wind and solar energy. Wind turbines froze because of the cold weather which led to power outages across the state.
In response, 64% of surveyed people correctly picked the first option, compared to only 28% who thought that Texas had over-invested itself in wind turbines. Even 50% of self-identified Republicans chose the correct answer, while 41% blamed renewable energy. The poll was conducted from February 19 to 22, surveying likely voters nationally via web panels.