Energy security means national security, plain and simple.
Access to abundant natural resources that can be used for energy generation gives us the ability to keep the lights on and power our society. Without access to cheap, reliable and consistent energy sources, it becomes increasingly difficult to give communities, employers, local businesses, schools, churches, law enforcement and countless other institutions the power they need to thrive.
There is obviously a large push both nationally and globally for “green energy” – I believe that is a fine and acceptable goal for entities and individuals to pursue, as long as it doesn’t come at the cost of traditional, baseload energy resources such as natural gas, coal, and hydroelectric energy generation.
What is baseload power? Baseload power is the minimum level of demand on an electrical grid over a span of time. With emerging green energy technology, solar and wind being primary examples, power generation is entirely dependent on the sun shining and the wind blowing.
In my experience, weather can be an unpredictable factor when planning something as simple as a Saturday picnic, much less with a power grid.
Conventional powerplants, notably coal, natural gas and hydro-powered plants do not have that problem. They generate power rain or shine, giving our economy and our communities the dependable – and affordable – power needed to thrive.
There is nothing wrong with adding certain forms of green energy to that conventional energy mix – but it should not be viewed as a replacement. As we have seen in other states who have dived too ambitiously into the deep end of renewable energy, dependance on unreliable power sources has caused major disruptions and problems on a large scale.
A few key problems that arise are blackouts when there is not enough energy production to power the electric grid, which wreaks havoc on not just local economies as businesses can’t power their operations, but also schools, hospitals, law enforcement capabilities and really just life in general.
This is especially true when communities are faced with extreme weather temperatures and are unable to cool or heat their homes when they need to the most. That can be fatal.
The rise of blackouts are also often paired with often exorbitant prices that are simply untenable for many consumers. That is tough to justify when looking at the far more affordable energy sources that we in America have available in droves.
Given the obvious downsides of being overly reliant on green energy, those who push for policies such as the “Green New Deal” need a way to justify their proposed transitions in the energy sector, and many have identified labeling the pursuit of renewable energy to fight climate change as “a national security issue.”
Let’s be honest with ourselves – it is quite obvious that climate change it is not a legitimate national security concern and should not been prioritized as such.
Energy independence and having a strong and secure power grid, on the other hand, certainly is.
The campaign against coal and natural gas does not only put thousands of American jobs at risk, and would bring detrimental harm to the countless families who sustain their livelihoods in those related industries, once we forgo our plentiful domestic natural resources for unreliable, unaffordable “green energy,” we also become dependent on foreign nations and foreign actors who don’t have America’s best interests in mind.
We have all seen the impact of reliance on Russian energy in several European nations since the war in Ukraine broke out – we need to make sure that we don’t expose ourselves to such risks domestically.
Again, if an entity wants to invest in renewable energy that is their prerogative, but it would be simply unthinkable to do that at the expense of our most efficient energy resources. That would not improve national security, it would diminish it.
In order to remain energy independent and power our communities big and small in an affordable way for consumers, we need to unleash and support our domestic energy production and ensure that we have a grid that can sustain an economy of the future.
To not do so would be a mistake with wide-ranging consequences for our economy and way of life for generations to come.
Gerald Allen represents Alabama’s 21st District (Tuscaloosa, Pickens & Lamar Counties) in the Alabama State Senate.
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