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Hearing all sides of the story is the only way to make informed decisions that directly influence California's future.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Local Energy Security & National Security

Over the last 18 years in California, our foreign oil imports have increased by a staggering 105.1%. We know that continuing to rely on volatile nations like Saudia Arabia for oil puts our borders (and our citizens) in danger.

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Local Energy Security & National Security

One of the biggest threats to America’s national security in the latter half of the 20th century — and up until a few years ago — was our dependence on imported oil and natural gas. Those resources were coming from the Middle East, arguably the most volatile and dangerous region of the world.

With the advent of hydraulic fracturing that allowed for the extraction of previously locked deposits of oil and natural gas, the U.S. has reduced its dependence on foreign sources so much that recent troublesome events in the Middle East barely moved the needle in global energy markets, except in California.

America has produced so much energy that it is now the largest exporter in the world. At the same time, California has moved in the opposite direction.

Today, California is more dependent on foreign imports of oil and natural gas than at any time in its history.

Just look at the facts:

 

  • In 2000, California imported 177 million barrels of foreign oil
  • In 2018, California imported 364 million barrels of foreign oil
  • This is a 105.1% increase in imported foreign oil
  • Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Columbia, Iraq, Kuwait, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and Angola represent more than 90% of the imported foreign oil

While our nation as a whole is learning how to kick its addiction to foreign oil and gas, California has increased its dependency, which threatens the overall economic health of the state. And because of its size and the fact that California represents 13% of the total U.S. economy, if California’s economy catches a cold, the rest of the country could get pneumonia.

Geopolitical events in the Middle East and other volatile regions like Venezuela and Ecuador in South America put California consumers at the mercy of incidents that are beyond their control. California needs to be less dependent on oil from the most dangerous parts of the world. This is no longer just a question of California’s energy security, it’s a question of our country’s national security.

California’s Energy Future is Right Below the Surface

We’re proponents of sourcing energy right in our own backyard, and creating millions of valuable job opportunities for our fellow Californians.

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California’s Energy Future is Right Below the Surface

In recent years, oil and natural gas exploration in the United States has skyrocketed with the advent of hydraulic fracturing. This technological revolution has released previously locked deposits which up until now could not be reached by traditional methods of extraction.

From the Bakken shale deposits in North Dakota to the Eagle Ford shale deposits of Texas, America’s energy boom has made the United States less dependent on foreign oil and created economic growth and thousands of high-paying jobs.

California policymakers in Sacramento have gone in the opposite direction and tried to ban hydraulic fracturing and are planning to get rid of all fossil fuels in the not too distant future. While this is being done, California’s dependence on imported oil has increased to an unsustainable 74%. 

The answer to this problem could be right underneath the surface of California in our oil and gas reservoirs.  We have a long proud history of applying new technologies to producing oil and gas in California.

California was founded during the Gold Rush of 1849 as people came from around the world to try and strike it rich. While most didn’t succeed, the people who came helped develop the state’s other riches, such as fertile land for farming to help feed the world and vast forest for timber to build a growing nation. They also drilled for oil and gas to power homes and vehicles.

By unleashing the new technologies that have enabled America to become energy independent on the rich deposits of oil and natural gas that are right under their feet, California can set off another economic boom the likes of which the state has never seen before.

California’s energy security and future are right beneath the surface if anyone cares to look.

Keeping California’s Lights On With Baseload Power

A continued investment in natural gas paves the way for renewable wind and solar, and a greener, more sustainable, and eventually cost-effective future.

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Keeping California’s Lights On With Baseload Power

Ever since the Energy Crisis of 2000-01, California policymakers have pushed legislative mandates for more and more of the state’s energy needs to be met by renewable energy like wind and solar. But it won’t happen simply by mandating how the state will power its homes, businesses, and vehicles, or setting arbitrary deadlines for when those mandates are to be met.

California is already facing the limits of what current solar, wind, and even battery storage can provide. We still need wind to be blowing and the warm rays of the sun to produce the megawatts needed to meet the state’s growing and almost insatiable appetite for energy. And even the promise of battery storage to capture that energy isn’t sufficient to have enough power when wind and solar aren’t available.

Whether the state’s policymakers care to admit it or not, California still needs a large quantity of energy from natural gas-fired power plants to provide the baseload energy critical to maintaining electricity reliability. There is no way around this simple fact.

 

It appears, however, that some policymakers understand. Recently, government officials requested four natural gas power plants in California to remain open for three more years past their expiration date, so that they can provide that vital baseload power.

On any given day, California also depends on 20-30% of its electricity to come from our neighbors who are becoming more reluctant to sell us that power as they need it to feed their own growing needs.

In its zeal to move to an “all renewable energy, all the time” energy policy, California has put itself in a bind. The only way out is to recognize their miscalculation and ensure there is enough natural gas power available to meet the state’s needs.

We all want to get to a cleaner, greener energy future. As wind, solar and battery storage technologies evolve further, those will certainly continue to
help. But somewhere, there are new technologies being developed that may surpass them all. Today, however, the path to that future is lit by the blue flame of natural gas—the transition fuel that will get California where it wants to go.

For more details on citations and information sources, please contact us at info@energyinfocus.org.