Issue: IRA

A survey of Americans in order to understand voters’ feelings toward the rise of data centers in the US and in their communities, fueled by the AI boom.
Voters are broadly aware of AI data centers at the national level, but they tend to be less aware of data centers being built in their own communities. While voters expect data centers to be built regardless of community opposition, they are grappling with concerns over how these facilities are built and what impact they will have on costs, pollution, and quality of life. This research suggests that how these data centers are powered plays a key role in how they are perceived, with the usage of renewable energy dramatically increasing support.

GoodPower conducted focus groups to understand how people in Arizona view battery energy storage system (BESS) projects and their concerns about energy issues. They did four focus groups (n = 30) with residents of Pinal and Maricopa counties, key areas for renewable energy development, and two (n = 12) with residents of rural and ex-urban areas of Arizona. The sample in Pinal and Maricopa generally reflected local demographics while the rural participants were predominantly male, white, older, and conservative.

From September to November 2025, GoodPower’s Good Data Lab fielded a survey of households within 3 miles of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Arizona. This survey aimed to understand BESS neighbors’ support for and views about the projects as well as their community needs and concerns. They found that people do not know much about BESS. Despite this limited knowledge, there is moderate support for BESS among neighbors, although many were unaware of the projects near them. People were concerned about the fire risk of BESS, but providing them with basic information about BESS fire safety helps to alleviate some of this concern. Respondents also found messaging related to grid reliability, boosting renewables, and cost savings potential of BESS to be the most convincing, although all message frames shown to participants were convincing. While traditionally resistant audiences like conservatives have lower support for BESS and more negative views of living near it, they were convinced by pro-BESS messaging. The findings suggest there is an opportunity to get ahead of opposition messaging to educate and communicate about BESS, its risks, and its benefits.

Extreme weather events like winter storm Fern offer a short window of opportunity when people are seeking information related to climate change. But while most Americans believe we are experiencing more extreme weather, many still don’t see it as driven by climate change. Climate communicators need to help people connect the dots.

Lessons from Two Years of Storytelling in Rural America shares what happens when rigorous research meets relationship-based storytelling rooted in rural communities. Produced by Resource Rural in collaboration with the Climate Advocacy Lab, this report distills insights from more than 200 people-first stories across 41 states and two large-scale message tests with over 7,500 rural participants. Together, these learnings offer practical guidance for anyone working to build trust, understanding, and durable support for public investment in rural America.

This guide is designed to help organizations bring a consumer-centered lens to energy policy debates, and to show how utility regulation, affordability programs, and climate justice intersect with state budgets and economic health. By using this guide, you can frame energy affordability not just as an environmental or technical issue, but as a core economic justice concern, one that directly impacts household stability, community resilience, and long-term, your state’s prosperity.

This Blueprint for Affordable Energy lays out a plan to lower energy bills, confront the climate crisis, and rein in runaway corporate power.