OPINION:
Simply put, our ability to produce energy is one of the most important issues facing our country. Recently in Congress, there has been significant debate dedicated to different sources of energy and the degrees to which they are utilized. However, these conversations too often overlook the simple fact that our country is barely producing enough energy to keep the lights on.
According to a recent report from the Department of Energy, if we continue to ignore our lack of power generation capabilities, the risk of power outages to homes and businesses across the country will increase to 100 times their current level by 2030.
This frightening fact will only be compounded by the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). As AI continues to become further intertwined into our daily lives, more large-scale data centers will be needed to power advancements in this technology. We do not currently produce nearly enough energy to support this burgeoning industry. Without new energy production, our nation cannot remain the global leader in AI, and we risk ceding this position to foreign adversaries like China.
This is why I will continue to support an all-of-the-above approach to energy production that does not pit renewable generation against fossil fuels. Each option has its benefits and drawbacks. For example, solar energy can be brought online quickly to start pumping power into the grid; however, it’s not as consistent as fossil fuels, which can be fully harnessed even when the sun is not shining. There is also a significant place for nuclear energy in this discussion. I believe the federal government must invest in research on this technology to help decrease up-front costs for companies interested in constructing new nuclear plants.
Our nation also needs to invest in carbon capture and storage. This method collects carbon emitted from fossil fuel energy sources and sequesters it deep underground. Carbon capture could eliminate the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuel energy generation.
Maximizing our energy production will not only make our country more innovative but also help promote geopolitical stability abroad. Lest we forget, Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies created vulnerabilities as the war in Ukraine roared on. By leveraging our energy resources, we can reduce our allies’ dependence on other nations’ energy supplies and strengthen our diplomatic alliances with them.
As our energy needs continue to grow, every type of power production method will be necessary. The real solution to our nation’s energy challenges is an all-of-the-above approach that is collaborative, pragmatic, and focused on finding common ground, a philosophy that would do well to carry over into politics. Energy fuels economic growth, development, and security. It was foundational to our nation’s emergence as a superpower, and it is an essential component of today’s technological advancements.
• Don Bacon represents the 2nd District of Nebraska in the U.S. House of Representatives. A Member of the Armed Services Committee, he serves as Chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation Subcommittee. He previously spent nearly 30 years serving in the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 2014 as a Brigadier General.
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