- The United States consumes over 20 million barrels of oil every day of which nearly 57% is imported1. Energy represents nearly half of our trade deficit. Replacing petroleum fuels (gasoline and diesel) with non-petroleum alternatives and increasing the number of electronic vehicles can significantly lower our dependence upon foreign oil.
- While most oil goes towards transportation fuel, renewable energy can lower the demand for foreign oil that is used in oil heaters and other industrial processes. Additionally, as a distributed energy source (as opposed to a centralized power plant) renewable energy can be significantly more secure than a centralized gas or nuclear plant that can be targeted by terrorists.
“Our entire economy depends on the expectation that energy will be plentiful, available, and affordable. Nations like Venezuela and Iran can use oil and gas as political and economic weapons by manipulating the marketplace. Half of our trade deficit goes toward buying oil from abroad, and some of that money ends up in the hands of terrorists.”
General James Jones, retired United States Marine Corps four-star general.
