The archive
World
Energy Independence: this idea is wrapped around the promise that America can stand apart from global uncertainty by running on its own bountiful resources, immune to worldwide instability and to the control of oil-rich autocracies. Here is the uncomfortable truth: energy independence is a complete myth.
Policy
Efficient permitting isn’t a partisan luxury – it's a national imperative. As our nation confronts rising energy demand, aging infrastructure, and growing pressure on our natural lands, the question is not whether we should reform our permitting processes; it’s how quickly and boldly we will.
Tech
Economist Thomas Sowell once stated, “There are no solutions. There are only trade-offs.” Nowhere is that clearer than in debates over climate policy, where enthusiasm for low-carbon technologies frequently outpaces planning for their long-term consequences.
Science & Tech
As politicians and philanthropists shift their attention to other global issues, many journalists and scientists continue to sound the alarm about climate change. There is a tendency, however, to highlight only the most negative interpretations of new research in order to amplify public concern and emphasize urgency. As a result, press releases and news stories far too often overstate or misrepresent the scientific findings they cite.
Tech
New York State recently approved construction of a controversial natural-gas pipeline in an effort to ease rising energy prices and prevent future supply shortages. The decision drew criticism from Democratic politicians and environmental groups, who argue that the underwater pipeline will compromise water quality and further entrench reliance on fossil fuels.
Conservation
Each year, Americans spend billions fighting fires that could have been prevented for much less. In 2023 alone, the government spent nearly $4.5 billion on wildfire suppression. Add in the destroyed homes, shut down businesses, and smoke-related health costs, and the total cost soars well into the tens of billions.
Economics
A lot of attention has been paid to the role of growing electricity use by data centers; however, most commentary has proceeded without much in the way of thoughtful analysis. A study on drivers of state-level trends in U.S. retail electricity prices from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab begins to fill the gap.
Tech
At a recent hearing in Tallahassee, Florida, I testified on the advantages and promise of advanced nuclear technologies, as well as the policies needed to reduce costs and bring small modular reactors online more efficiently.
Conservation
From bourbon barrels to kitchen chairs, America’s white oaks sustain vital industries and ecosystems of the eastern United States. Yet today, these trees are aging faster than they can regenerate.
Around the Web
This piece was initially published in Latitude Media. Today a partnership coalition including Nvidia, Emerald AI, EPRI, Digital Realty, and PJM announced the world’s first power-flexible AI facility: the 96-megawatt Aurora…
