Dear friend of the MREA,
The US presidential election was, once again, fundamentally about our energy future. I won’t blame if you didn’t notice. Energy issues were not the highlight of either campaign. The most notable mentions may have been Vice President Harris backtracking on her previous support for limitations on fracking and Vice President-elect Vance’s debate response that assumed, but only for the sake of argument, that climate change was real. Both statements were windows into genuine issues, but the subtext was more important. Consider the public debate we did not have:
1. The Energy Impact of Artificial Intelligence
Quick show of hands: In the coming years, who thinks artificial intelligence is likely to cause a greater disruption to the US economy than immigration policy? The answer isn’t obvious. The case for AI disruption is strong, not only on the labor market, but on many facets of society, including energy.
For what seems like forever, we have endured politicized messaging on immigration, but policy discussion on AI? Crickets. This all while AI, blockchain, and the other facets of the “Screen New Deal” are dramatically driving up current and forecasted energy use. In my home state of Wisconsin, Microsoft’s proposed $3.3 billion data center comes with a new gas-fired power plant to meet the astronomically high electricity demand of the new campus. This is one example of many. Our virtual reality has real world energy impacts.
Did you notice that the major tech titans either actively sat out or actively campaigned for President Trump? What was the art of that deal? If you are a betting person, I’d suggest a wager on the complete absence of regulation, anti-trust action, or even adequate analysis of the impacts of these transformative technologies on the energy system and society at large.
2. Trade Wars and Our Energy Future
Behind most every conflict is a battle over energy. It’s not just oil, but minerals and manufacturing. The Biden Administration expanded protectionist trade policies and made historic investment in US domestic clean energy and clean tech manufacturing. Despite these stick-and-carrot efforts, when we finalized a new 100% import tariff on Chinese electric vehicles in September, the response was a broad recognition that doubling the price of imported electric vehicles was not enough to keep out the competition. The future of energy is the future of manufacturing, jobs, climate, and global relations. In these circumstances, it is hard to overstate how important it is for the US to have an unwavering commitment to domestic clean energy, energy efficiency, and clean tech manufacturing.
3. US Oil and Gas Dependence
Why did Vice President Harris pivot toward fracking during the presidential campaign? When it comes to the geopolitics of energy in an age of rising protectionism, our domestic oil production is a clear national advantage. The industry knows this and leverages it for political gain.
The US economy is now underwritten by fracking. The entire plastic industry and industrial agricultural system would collapse without cheap and abundant fossil derivatives. Talk to a farmer and you’ll know that fertilizer prices are already unsustainable. With global conflict putting upward pressure on oil prices, the US economic system depends on increasing domestic oil and gas production. With our wasteful level of per capita energy use, we need domestic oil production as leverage to keep global oil prices down. There is one embarrassing experience that US presidents of both parties share: Begging Saudi Arabia to pump either more or less oil to control prices and being told to pound sand.
Despite the history of waste, fraud, and abuse that has led many of us to say enough is enough with fracking, we remain hopelessly dependent. With gas replacing coal in electricity generation amidst increasing demand for electricity, the future is taking shape. Without an unrelenting commitment to domestic clean energy and energy efficiency, we will slowly but surely become more like Saudi Arabia, sharing a similar authoritarian ruling class and a short runway.
Our Consensus
No matter how you voted in the last election or how you feel about the outcome and all it encompasses, I believe we can agree on this: We need an energy system that better serves us and invests in our future. We can and must do better.
I’ve been with the MREA as a volunteer, member, and employee for 20 years. Over that time, we have expanded our reach, strengthened our partnerships, and deepened our offerings. Our every effort has been to increase the ability of homes, businesses, schools, and other community institutions to invest in energy efficiency and local clean energy. We are careful about politics and don’t use politicized terms in our education programs because the benefits of local ownership, local investment, local jobs, reduced energy bills, resiliency, and a more open and clean energy system are widely valued. We are proud of being a “big tent” organization and embrace inclusion and collaboration as part of our educational mission.
For more than 30 years, we have remained steadfast in our positive mission and helped tens of thousands of people make beneficial investments in energy efficiency, solar, and resiliency. Our work is about making projects real on the ground. We recognize the clean little secret at the heart of our energy system: Each of us can use less, produce more, and collectively change the system.
Are you concerned about rising fossil fuel energy use because of big technology investments? We work on the solution: Helping all of us use less energy, use energy wisely, and produce our own onsite clean energy. Are you worried about our continued dependance on oil and gas? We work on the solution: Making sure that electrification utilizes widespread clean energy and energy efficiency investments. Do you want the US to double down on our investments and be a global leader in clean technology? Again, we work on the solution: Delivering and facilitating hundreds of presentations each year that promote the promise of clean energy investments in the Midwest.
And maybe most importantly, are you concerned that voters (and the campaigns that work to win them over) don’t understand or don’t prioritize energy issues? The solution to this problem is at the heart of our every effort. We are an education organization that invests in relationship building. We speak honestly and work with integrity. If you have worked with us, you can attest to our character and commitment.
With this in mind, I make a humble request: Despite the challenges, I ask that we not lose sight of our shared goal of leaving this beautiful place better than we found it. We can change hearts and minds. Our confidence, dignity, and respect for each other will go a long way in getting us there. I ask that you invest in our education efforts. If you believe in the value of education and demonstration, please consider us for an end-of-year contribution. We value every donation and will make every dollar count toward our shared mission. Thank you for your continued support.
Rise Up!
MREA Executive Director
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