Energy Solutions for the 21st Century

Conservatives Need to Attract Independents Citizens have become increasingly divided, but most contests are won by winning over people who aren’t committed Uncommitted people respond to conservative values, but respond badly to explicitly ideological messages

Conservatives Need to Attract Independents The Key to winning Independents is effective messaging of our values and priorities in ways that seem common sense to them. People need to believe you share their values and concerns, and THEN they will begin listening to your policy ideas

People want a balanced approach to Energy Policy

Both Conservatives and Independents Support Cleaner Energy Policies

Energy Policy Is NOT About Climate Change

Jobs and the Economy Strike Home

People Want AFFORDABLE ENERGY

What Citizens Think:

Best Messaging on Energy: People want clean, abundant, and affordable energy. People are skeptical of the current government mandated monopoly model. Consumers like the idea of choice and competition

Defending the Status Quo Doesn’t Work Current conservative opposition to clean energy appears to contradict the core value of good conservation practices Nobody supports fossil fuel use for its own sake, but only as an expedient for getting affordable energy. Most people support a cleaner environment for its own sake.

Energy Policy Needs to Accomplish: Cleaner Energy over time (as has been happening) Abundant Energy (nobody likes austerity!) Affordable Energy

Looking Forward, Not Back Conservative policies and especially messaging have to emphasize their relationship to the key values of conservatives and independents. Energy independence, reducing the power of monopolies, and good conservation practices all appeal to people. Conservatives can be the advocates of a smart transition to a clean and affordable energy future. People want clean, affordable energy, and hope that over time the energy mix will trend away from fossil fuels. They want this not because they fear a climate apocalypse, but because they want a better world for their children

The Price of Renewables Has Plummeted Wind is competitive with coal already, and solar prices have been dropping dramatically

Solar Becomes Competitive with Natural Gas in the Next 5-7 years

Talking Points: The future will be cleaner and cheaper than the past But we have to be smart about MANAGING THE TRANSITION We need to keep energy both abundant and affordable as we transition

Talking Points Mandates and subsidies ignore affordability Current monopolies are fighting competition, and like both mandates and subsidies because they retain control of market We can open up market to more choice and competition, and encourage cleaner and affordable energy

Talking Points Fossil fuels have been a declining part of the energy mix, and are getting more expensive Clean energy is expanding part of energy mix; we need to encourage its growth in the RIGHT way

The Goal: Clean, Abundant, AND Affordable Energy