Local Opposition to Data Centers—How Similar to Opposition to Solar?

Across the U.S., Facebook groups, raucous town meetings, and arrays of oppositional lawn signs have resulted in local moratoriums blocking…data centers?! We’re familiar with these strategies to block solar projects. Is it really the same playbook? How similar are the strategies used by local opposition groups to stop data center construction versus large-scale solar projects?

Developers for solar and data centers often vie for the same tracts of land: cleared, level areas near transmission lines with sufficient headroom. As the survey results from Heatmap in the figure above show, 59% of respondents strongly support or somewhat support living near a solar farm. In contrast, a similar survey found that only 44% of respondents support living near a data center. Can we develop messaging that compares the benefits of solar to the drawbacks of data centers?

Join us for a discussion of messaging, strategies, and public support. Click the button below to register for our Clean Energy Neighbors open discussion forum on Wednesday, November 12, from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. We especially welcome folks on the ground who are trying to get solar projects built in their communities. Register, and we look forward to talking soon!