The United States Department of Energy appears to be shifting gears on dirty energy. Some orders from the new administration represent a move away from legislation introduced and standards established in recent years to combat heat-trapping gases and the extreme temperatures they cause.
What's happening?
In February, newly confirmed Energy Secretary and former Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright issued an order to prioritize the expansion of energy production over achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. The order follows President Donald Trump's related executive order to "[Unleash] America's Energy."
Wright's secretarial order aims to increase energy production in the U.S. in part by forgoing net-zero policies, which, he said, "raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security."
According to Wright, the Department of Energy's Research and Development enterprise needs to focus on dirty energy sources, advanced nuclear energy, geothermal energy, and hydropower. He also wants to prioritize "true technological breakthroughs," counting nuclear fusion, artificial intelligence, and high-performance as well as quantum computing among them.
Further components of the order include "[Refilling] the Strategic Petroleum Reserve," which has the capacity to hold 714 million barrels. The Secretary of Energy said that the SPR is at "historically low levels."
On the matter of home appliances, Wright said that "affordability and consumer choice will be our guiding light."
Why is the shift in the Department of Energy's policies notable?
The recent orders from Trump and Wright seem to reverse course on policies established during the previous administration to reduce pollution, improve access to clean energy appliances, and promote electric vehicles.
"The American auto industry has been hamstrung by the crushing regulatory regime of the last administration," Lee Zeldin, Trump's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said in a mid-March statement. "As we reconsider nearly one trillion dollars of regulatory costs, we will abide by the rule of law to protect consumer choice and the environment."
As the EPA has previously noted, the U.S. has seen decreases in polluting gases since hitting a high in 2007. Emissions of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas driven by human activity, decreased by 2% from 1990 to 2022 — a span that saw six different presidents.
By continuing to decrease pollution in the atmosphere, we can work to lower global temperatures, which have steadily risen for decades. The orders from Trump and Wright seek to ramp up dirty energy consumption in the U.S. and shed eco-friendly safeguards in the interest of enabling energy companies to move faster with fewer fines and regulations to contend with.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Should the government ban gas stoves? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes 💯 That said, some experts have shared that fossil fuel availability and prices are already sufficient in the short and medium terms. Australian mining executive Andrew Forrest, for example, recently said that adding renewable energy infrastructure is the key to increasing energy generation and independence in the shorter term since the most critical improvements are to increase the capturing of energy types that are even more abundant, such as solar power.
"I don't mind all the talk about 'drill, baby, drill.' That's if you want to make a difference in 20 years," said Forrest, the CEO of Fortescue. "But if you want to make a difference in 20 weeks or 20 months, renewable energy … is going to make that difference."
What's being done about this shift?
While the current administration plans to diverge from some policies created in recent years to reduce pollution, one goal with strong support from across the political spectrum is to help Americans reduce their household costs.
Consumers can make changes to modernize their homes and boost energy efficiency to increase savings while reducing harmful pollution.
Making the switch to an electric vehicle — new or used — is another move that can cut back on costs and the pollution that drives extreme weather events as well as risks to human health.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
