The war in Iran is showing why the US needs diverse energy resources |
The war in Iran is showing why the US needs diverse energy resources
There is no shortage of lessons to be learned from the way the Trump administration went to war with Iran. Among them: Don’t start a war without undertaking pre-conflict diplomacy to enlist allies whose support may be needed during and after the conflict. Another: Anticipate and prepare contingencies regarding how an enemy can respond on and off the battlefield.
One of the most critically important lessons, which is being driven home daily by the Iranians’ ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is that energy can be used as a weapon. In a world where energy is a weapon, energy security and affordability require diversity in energy sources. Many nations understand this and are seeking to add new sources, principally renewables, to their energy mix. But in his second term in office, President Trump has attacked all kinds of diversity, including in how America produces energy.
The Trump administration has proclaimed U.S. energy dominance as one of its key goals. It has pursued this goal, however, not by expanding the sources of U.S. energy supply, but by narrowing it. The Trump administration is hostile toward renewable energy but strongly favors fossil fuels and supports new investments in nuclear power. It has moved aggressively to stop renewable energy projects during and before construction.
The most recent instance, which came during the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, is the administration’s pressuring of the French energy........