Why the US Needs to Invest in Renewable Natural Gas
The Iran war has roiled energy markets and made a strong case for boosting domestic renewable energy as a buffer against fossil fuel volatility.
With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz halted, other routes threatened, and oil and fertiliser prices surging, renewables are more attractive — though not everywhere. Electric vehicle and heat pump sales are up in Europe, but in the US and Canada, the war’s disruptions have increased fossil fuel production.
Yet, for less than the cost of the war, the US could expand its renewable energy and fertiliser production to more than it previously imported through the Strait. This is well worth doing. Carbon-intensive fossil fuels are untenable for energy security and the climate, and clean energy is by far the better investment.