Energy independence has been a goal of the United States since the oil crisis of the 1970s. And while 2019 saw record domestic oil production, the United States was still a net importer of oil with net imports totaling $192 billion. In an OurEnergyPolicy webinar on June 24, 2020, Yossie Hollander—Co-Founder and Chairman of The Fuel Freedom Foundation—discussed energy independence and current efforts to achieve it. He explained how in today’s interconnected world, reducing U.S. dependence on global oil prices requires more than just increasing domestic oil production. To make energy (oil) independence a …
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The transportation sector is responsible for almost a third of the United States’ greenhouse gas emissions, more than any other sector. Between 1990 and 2017, emissions from transportation increased more than any other sector in absolute terms, underscoring the importance of addressing sector emissions to help meet climate change goals. There are more reasons to reassess how we power transportation beyond just reducing emissions. As explained in our recent webinar series, some experts say that diversifying our choice of fuels could help support the American economy and potentially free us from dependence on foreign oil.
The global market for …
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The security, economy, and general welfare of the United States are critically dependent on electricity. Transportation, pipelines, communications, and other essential services would all fail without a continuously operating electricity grid. It’s fair to say that the grid is the most essential of all our critical infrastructure, which is why it is of the utmost importance that it be adequately protected.
While the grid is vulnerable to numerous and ever-changing threats — including physical sabotage, cyber sabotage, and destruction by electromagnetic pulse (EMP) — important steps have been taken to improve grid security in recent years. Key information about the …
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Preface from OurEnergyPolicy
In the time since our November 2019 critical minerals discussion, COVID-19 has decimated global supply chains. Factory shutdowns in China, which accounts for 40–50% of the global wind power supply chain, have caused supply shortages of wind turbine components and massive financial losses, threatening current U.S. projects. China’s outsized market share is also affecting the solar market, although some analysts say a U.S. tariff on imported solar panels may have blunted the impact.
“If coronavirus has shown us anything, it’s that we are far too reliant on China and other countries for …
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Transportation accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions in the United States than any other sector and, within that, light-duty vehicles account for 59% of all transportation emissions. In order to reduce the effects of climate change, we must encourage more Americans to switch to plug-in vehicles. On average, the climate pollution created from driving an electric vehicle (EV) is equivalent to driving a gasoline vehicle that gets 88 miles per gallon. That figure continues to improve as our electric utilities increasingly switch to renewable energy. Electric vehicles also offer other benefits, including utilizing domestic energy, lower fuel and …
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