Climate Action
Powering True Independence: Why Energy is at the Heart of Freedom
July 4, 2025
Today is America’s Independence Day — a time to reflect on the values of freedom and self-determination. But if we’re serious about what sustains those ideals in the modern world, we must confront a simple truth: freedom runs on energy.
We often speak of freedom in terms of rights; speech, religion, assembly. But in the 21st century, freedom also lives in access to opportunity, information, and mobility; and all of that runs on energy. A home without power is a home without heat, light, or connection. A nation without control over its energy future is a nation exposed to the whims of others. Energy doesn’t just sustain our comfort; it safeguards our sovereignty. If we want freedom not just as a founding ideal but as a daily reality, then we must ensure that the power we depend on is secure, abundant, and increasingly our own.
Just as earlier generations invested in roads, rails, and telegraphs to bind the nation together and unlock economic growth, we must invest in energy infrastructure that ensures our independence in a volatile world. We must strengthen our energy system by diversifying supply, modernizing the grid, or embracing renewables.
It powers our homes, fuels our transportation, and drives our economy. Yet, we often take energy for granted. When you plug in your toaster in the morning, I am guessing the last thing in your mind is where the energy to make your bagel comes from. Many of us ignore this energy conundrum because put simply, we can. Until global conflicts, supply shortages, or rising prices force us to pay attention.
This year, amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, energy is once again in the spotlight. The tensions have already driven oil prices up by more than 4%, and experts warn that any disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil flows, could send prices soaring past $120 per barrel. For reference, it coasts about $70 a barrel today, meaning it could nearly double.
The U.S. has been energy independent by several common metrics since 2019: producing more energy than it consumes and exporting more than it imports when counted broadly. However, it still relies on imported crude oil to supply domestic refineries, so it is not fully independent in the strictest sense. So it is at moments like these when oil prices are spiking that expose the fragility of our current energy dependency and remind us that independence in the 21st century must include true energy independence.
Electricity Powers Freedom
The connection between American independence and electricity goes deeper than Benjamins or kites. Reliable energy access is a foundation for freedom, opportunity, and human progress. Studies show that people with access to at least 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, the threshold known as the Modern Energy Minimum (MEM), experience significant improvements in education, income, and health. Yet nearly 3.8 billion people globally still fall below this level.
Electricity powers everything from hospitals and schools to sanitation systems and small businesses. When communities gain access to energy, maternal mortality rates drop, children study longer, income inequality reduces, and opportunities expand. In short, energy is empowerment and opens the door to a more stable life.
What Happens Without Electricity
America has already seen the consequences of energy scarcity before. During the 1970s oil crisis, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East led to dramatic shortages.The first shortage occurred following U.S. involvement in the Yom Kippur War, which led to an oil embargo by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC). The second was triggered by supply disruptions during the Iranian Revolution. Long lines at gas stations stretched for blocks, with some people waiting for hours, as the price of gas quadrupled.
These events weren’t just inconveniences; they disrupted daily life in the U.S and beyond, exposing vulnerabilities in being energy dependent. It ignited a national conversation about conservation and alternative fuels. Since then, the US has made meaningful progress; by increasing fuel economy standards through initiatives like the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, which require cars to travel farther on less fuel; by diversifying our energy sources with projects such as the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona, the largest nuclear plant in the U.S.; and by expanding renewable energy production through federal incentives like the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC), which encourage investment in clean energy technologies. But the foundation of our energy system still relies heavily on global supply chains — and remains vulnerable to events far beyond our control.
America’s Foreign Oil Dependence Today
The United States continues to rely heavily on foreign nations for petrochemical imports. The U.S. imports approximately 40% of its crude oil and refined petroleum products from other countries. Canada is our largest supplier, accounting for over 50% of imports, while other major exporters include Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Though imports from Iran have largely ceased due to sanctions, we can see that politics in the Middle Eastern have serious effects on both oil prices and the supply chain. But while this is the case with oil, it is not the case with renewable energy.
Renewable Energy = Real Energy Independence
True energy independence means not being at the mercy of volatile global oil markets or finite fossil fuels. By generating power from the sun, wind, water, and geo-thermal , we reduce our vulnerability to foreign supply disruptions.
Unlike fossil fuels, renewable sources don’t deplete. It’s in the name: “renew”. And there is more than enough to go around. Enough sunlight hits the Earth every hour to meet global energy demand for an entire year. With modern technology, harnessing even a fraction of this power we could transform not only America’s energy landscape, but the world’s. And thanks to advances in battery storage, this isn’t intermittent energy as some would have you believe — clean power can now be stored and delivered when and where it’s needed.
America is making real progress toward a more energy independent future. In the first six months of 2023, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower accounted for 25% of U.S. electricity generation. In 2024, U.S. solar production increased 25% while wind production increased 8%. Experts predict that by 2035, the U.S. could meet 100% of its energy needs through renewable sources year-round.
It’s not just the U.S. — the world is rapidly shifting toward a renewable energy future. In 2023, renewables — including solar, wind, and hydropower — accounted for nearly 30% of global electricity generation, with many countries accelerating their clean energy investments.
Countries like Germany and Spain are already generating over 50% of their electricity from renewables, while China leads the world in both solar and wind installations, adding record-breaking capacity last year. Emerging economies such as India and Brazil are also making major strides. Across Europe and Southeast Asia, ambitious targets aim to dramatically increase renewable energy use within the next two decades, reflecting a shared global commitment to reducing carbon emissions and building resilient, sustainable energy systems for the future.
It Is More Than Just Independence
The benefits of renewable energy go far beyond national security. Clean power is one of the most impactful tools we have to address the climate crisis and improve public health. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions reduces the severity of climate-related disasters like floods, heatwaves, and the spread of disease. Cleaner air leads to fewer cases of asthma, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.
Then there’s the economic impact. Clean energy is now the fastest-growing job sector in the world. By 2030, it’s expected to create 14 million new jobs globally, in industries ranging from solar installation and electric vehicle manufacturing to grid modernization and energy efficiency. And while about 3.8 million fossil fuel jobs may be phased out, renewable energy has the potential to create more than three times as many. With the right policies, like workforce retraining, union protections, and just transition funding, these new jobs can be safer, better-paying, and more sustainable for future generations.
Not to mention, renewables are affordable. Today, solar and wind are the cheapest sources of power for 67% of the world’s population. Over the last decade, the cost of onshore wind has dropped by 68%, and offshore wind by 60%. Clean energy is no longer an experiment; it’s the most cost-effective option for powering homes, communities, and entire nations.
All this is why, for Earth Day 2025, EARTHDAY.ORG is championing the theme Our Power, Our Planet. We’re calling on governments, businesses, and individuals to triple global renewable energy generation by 2030. The path to a cleaner, freer, and more secure future starts with the energy choices we make today.
Join us by telling your lawmakers to promote renewable energy. You can also sign our Renewable Energy Petition. You already have the power, now all you have to do is take action.
This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.
