Energy Security: The Pathway to a Cost-Effective, Efficient, and Reliable Energy Future

摘要

In order for the United States to create a cost-effective, efficient, and reliable energy environment, energy security must be the focus of the government and the energy industry. Discussion: America's energy consumption practices have become grossly inefficient and costly. An infrastructure that has served the country so well for over a century can no longer keep up with the energy demands of its customers. Furthermore, since America is heavily reliant on oil for its energy, it is susceptible to volatile price fluctuations caused by a variety of factors. Those factors include increased worldwide demand, high consumption rates, deliberate changes to supply protocol, and threats of supply disruption from despotic leaders who control a large portion of the world's oil supply. Clearly, substantial changes must be made to America's energy posture in order to update its infrastructure and lessen the effects of supply disruptions caused by the aforementioned factors. The concept of energy security provides the framework for these changes. First, the United States must decrease its reliance on oil imports from unstable governments and regions, such as Venezuela and West Africa, while diversifying its oil imports among established, reliable regimes while expanding its domestic reserves and continuing its exploration for new oil sources. Second, America's dilapidated electrical grid must be modernized. The Smart Grid, which takes advantage of emerging technologies to provide reliable and efficient energy, must be implemented. Finally, the United States must continue its use, implementation, and improvement of alternate and renewable resources and its infrastructure.