The OurEnergyLibrary aggregates and indexes publicly available fact sheets, journal articles, reports, studies, and other publications on U.S. energy topics. It is updated every week to include the most recent energy resources from academia, government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and trade associations. Suggest a resource by emailing us at info@ourenergypolicy.org.
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The recent upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have brought to light, once again, the conflict between traditional American values and the overarching goals of American foreign policy. Citizens of the United States are renowned for their commitment to universal liberties, freedom from oppression, and human rights for all, yet the U.S. Government has been frequently unwilling to step forward and openly express even rhetorical support for reform movements in foreign countries. Why is this so? More specifically, why, even after the initial shock of having been caught off-guard by Tunisian and Egyptian reform move- ments faded, …
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This volume briefly examines the world oil market, how developments in that market might affect “wholesale” supplies of jet fuel, and what measures the Air Force might take to protect itself against high fuel prices and supply disruptions. To facilitate this examination, the authors conducted three exploratory studies, which are reported in the companion volumes and are summarized here. In general, the Air Force and the Department of Defense in general lack the economic clout to influence the market, simply because they do not buy a large enough amount of fuel. Furthermore, alternative fuels have limited, if any value. As …
View Full ResourceIn 2011, net U.S. imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products declined for the sixth consecutive year, reversing a decades-long trend of rising reliance on foreign suppliers. A number of factors played a role, including reduced demand for petroleum fuels as a result of the recession and rising levels of efficiency in the nation’s automotive fleet. Recently, however, increased domestic production of liquid fuels has accounted for a substantial portion of the shift, rising by 1.4 million barrels per day (mbd) between 2008 and 2011 while net imports declined by 2.7 mbd. Based on current U.S. dynamics, both trends—rising… View Full Resource
Energy use is pervasive throughout the U.S. economy. Households and businesses use energy from oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power, and renewable sources (such as wind and the sun) to generate electricity, provide transportation, and heat and cool buildings. In 2010, energy consumption represented 8.4 percent of U.S. gross domestic product.
Disruptions in the supply of commodities used to produce energy tend to raise energy prices, imposing an increased burden on U.S. households and businesses. Disruptions can also reduce the nation’s economic output and thus people’s income. This paper examines energy security in the United States—that is, the ability of …
View Full ResourceDespite sporadic efforts since the oil crises of the 1970s and a more aggressive focus in very recent years to reduce U.S. oil consumption, petroleum is still used to supply nearly 40 percent of total U.S. primary energy demand. The transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 70 percent of total U.S. oil consumption and is crucial to the strength of the broader economy, derives 94 percent of its total energy from oil.3 The eco- nomic significance of oil is therefore unmatched by any other fuel or commodity. With no commercial fuel sub- stitutes currently available at scale to the transportation …
View Full ResourceAs the emerging Arctic security environment is in a very early stage of development, whether it will ultimately be predominantly cooperative or predominantly competitive remains an open question. Although the Arctic states invariably emphasize their desire to maintain a cooperative environment, several have stated that they will defend their national interests in the region if necessary. To gauge the geopolitical winds in the Arctic, this study catalogs and analyzes dozens of major policy statements and actions by the Arctic states, other states with Arctic interests, and multilateral organizations between 2008 and 2012.
As a framework for interpreting the totality of …
View Full ResourceBy one measure, energy security is the ability of households and businesses to accommodate disruptions of supply in energy markets. The United States is more secure with regard to a particular energy source if a disruption in the supply of that source creates only limited additional costs for consumers.
That definition differs from others that are sometimes used—for example, the extent to which the United States can produce the energy it needs from domestic sources or from commodities obtained from friendly countries.
The following fact sheet offers data, infographics and recommendations on issues such as U.S. energy sources and uses, …
View Full ResourceDisruptions in the supply of commodities used to produce energy tend to raise energy prices, imposing an increased burden on U.S. households and businesses. Disruptions can also reduce the nation’s economic output and thus people’s income. This paper examines energy security in the United States—that is, the ability of U.S. households and businesses to accommodate disruptions of supply in energy markets—and actions that the government could take to reduce the effects of such disruptions.…
View Full ResourceThe United States accounts for more than one-fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption. This heavy depen- dence on a commodity whose price is both high and volatile imposes a tremendous burden on the U.S. economy. Excessive reliance on oil also constrains the totality of U.S. foreign policy, and encumbers the U.S. military, which stands constantly ready as the protector of vulnerable energy infrastructure and supply routes across the globe.
In 1970, approximately 50 percent of total U.S. oil consumption was attributable to the transportation sector. Then, the sector consumed 8 million barrels of oil per day. Today, the sector …
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