Dive Brief:

• Republicans are split on the issue of renewable energy, with generally pro-business and libertarian leaning conservatives taking opposite views.
• Republican national leaders are “knuckleheads” on renewable energy issues, according to Tom Morrissey, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman who has Tea Party support.
• Tea Party Patriots national coordinator and Green Tea Coalition co-founder Debbie Dooley is working with solar advocates in six states to support solar power.

Dive Insight:

Building wind and solar facilities creates jobs, can spur economic development and can increase energy security while reducing air emissions. So it's not surprising that many Republicans support renewable energy (although Kansas lawmakers are gearing up to repeal the state's renewable portfolio standard). Generally conservative states like Arizona, Iowa and Texas are leaders when it comes to wind and solar. Renewables doesn't always fall into a typical Republican vs. Democrat dichotomy.