The United States is currently the largest consumer of oil in the world, accounting for an average of 19.6 million barrels of crude each day. This dependence on oil lends to some serious problems for the U.S., not to mention the major price tag. The country’s heavy dependence on foreign oil greatly undermines many of our economic goals and puts a dark cloud over many of our military decisions in the Middle East.
Politics aside, America’s economy as a whole has become very vulnerable due to this oil dependency. In 2016, the U.S. was still importing around 7 million barrels of oil a day from foreign sources ranging from Africa to the Middle East according to former Shell Oil CEO, John Hofmeister. That means spikes in prices can develop quickly over any type of international disruption – and remain essentially out of the control of the U.S.
So what is the solution? An extremely diligent and concentrated effort to replace any sources of foreign oil with alternative options from within the U.S. This is where solar energy comes into play.
While we may be far off from being dependent on renewable energy, our country needs to start taking these strides now if we want to be free from international oil dependency. It may look like a combination of several fuel options, from natural gas to hydrogen to wind energy to solar energy. The goal would be to diversify within the U.S., rather than outside of it.
Not only is foreign dependence a problem, but our heavy dependence on fossil fuels is creating a major pollution problem. Our environment and ecosystems are facing dire consequences due to oil dependency. As the largest consumer of oil, the U.S. needs to recognize this problem and take steps to reduce oil consumption in order to protect and preserve the planet.
How would solar benefit the country?
Over time, renewable energy sources like solar essentially pay for themselves and run on an infinite power source. In comparison, fossil fuels require an extensive process, are finite, and consume much more of our other valuable resources (like water) along the way. If our country wants its energy independence back and to ensure future generations have a healthy environment to live in, we must continue to embrace renewable energy sources like solar.
As a veteran-owned company, Semper Solaris is proud to be doing our part to not only safeguard our environment, but also free up our country from foreign oil dependency! Call us today to get insight on switching to solar today.
