If you’re like me, you may find it difficult to pick up a newspaper or watch the TV news without coming across a story about America’s need for energy independence.  Advocates for this goal—including several of this year’s presidential hopefuls—believe the United States must be placed on a path to produce all of our energy here at home.  Though it sounds good in theory, the idea of energy independence is a fantasy obscuring the fact that we live in a world that is so interconnected as to make energy independence impossible.

The United States must become less dependent on imported energy through increased efficiency, environmentally-sensitive American energy exploration, and advances in technology.  But considering that the United States currently imports 30 percent of its total energy and 60 percent of its oil, we cannot realistically meet our needs with domestic energy alone.  So instead of pursuing energy independence, we should recognize interdependency as a component of our goal of energy security. 

We live in an age where global markets allocate key natural resources, and we must come to the realization that our energy challenges can only be overcome through international engagement and American leadership.  To ensure access to affordable, diverse, and clean supplies of energy, we cannot build an isolationist wall, nor should we desire to do so.  We should empower our innovators to develop breakthrough technologies, break down market barriers that delay the adoption of new technologies, and work to make clean energy affordable in developing countries.

In the months ahead, we look forward to sharing our thoughts with regard to ways in which we can adopt common-sense solutions to the energy challenges that confront us.  We have a long road ahead, but we are confident the American people will answer this challenge with the same creativity, spirit, and "can do" determination we have demonstrated in the past.