Chris Wright will lead on energy abundance and environmental progress – does Watt support this?

Chris Barnard

A seasoned energy executive with extensive experience in the oil and gas, geothermal, nuclear and solar sectors has been nominated to lead the Department of Energy. One would think he would have overwhelming bipartisan support.

Someone would be wrong.

Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright was nominated by incoming President Donald Trump to be his energy secretary in November. He has since faced disproportionate opposition from green groups and Democrats. These individuals have slammed Mr Wright's comments on the climate change framework, relentlessly using smear tactics throughout their campaign to undermine Mr Wright's undeniable credentials.

However, in stark contrast to critical headlines, Mr Wright has repeatedly said we are experiencing rising global temperatures and that carbon emissions are one of the causes. In fact, at my organization's 2023 national conference, Mr. Wright discussed his lifelong environmentalism and how it affects the work he does to this day. What sets his approach apart from his critics, however, is Mr Wright's unwillingness to sacrifice human prosperity or quality of life in order to reduce emissions. In his view, energy poverty is one of the most pressing problems in the world. We should not sacrifice energy poverty for environmental protection, but should balance the two. He is right. We need more energy, not less.

Young people agree, as evidenced by the dramatic rise in the popularity of reliable nuclear energy among younger generations. In fact, last year it was mostly young people who launched a campaign to keep Diablo Canyon, the last remaining nuclear reactor in California, open. In a 2024 poll conducted by my organization, 68% of young conservatives said they support a climate plan that balances environmental and economic concerns.

Donald Trump was elected on a platform of support for energy dominance, and the American people expect his administration to deliver on that promise. While climate activists often clamor for an oil and gas shutdown, the reality is that we need safe and reliable energy to power our lives, protect our homes, and compete on the global stage with countries like China. Demand for oil and gas is rising, not falling, and instead of shaking the fist at the Saudi royal family or easing sanctions on the murderous regime, we should unleash it at home with the highest environmental standards and lowest emissions in the world. As an avid outdoorsman, Chris Wright knows this better than anyone.

But it's more than that. Yes, the United States should dominate oil and gas, but it should also lead the world in emerging energy technologies. That's the role of the Department of Energy. From batteries to critical minerals, from nuclear power plants to solar panels, China is currently beating the United States in nearly every new energy supply chain. Rather than letting the Chinese Communist Party control these supply chains and the nearly $4 trillion market they represent, the United States should outbuild, innovate, and outcompete the rest of the world. This is an energy-rich platform—an increase in energy, not a decrease in energy.

Chris Wright understands this, too. Through his work at Liberty Energy and on the boards of companies like Oklo, which is building next-generation nuclear reactors, Mr. Wright has adopted all of the above enrichment methods, rather than picking winners and losers, as Germany or Germany does. As he says in his LinkedIn profile: “I don’t care where energy comes from, as long as it’s safe, reliable, affordable, and improves human life.” He understands that bottom-up innovation and free enterprise are the key to achieving that. A means to long-term sustainable growth and prosperity, not big government mandates or ideological agendas. He also understands that artificial government barriers, such as years of permitting delays caused by red tape, are the biggest impediments to energy abundance and environmental progress.

We need an Energy Secretary who will unlock America's abundant energy while ensuring environmental progress. During his tenure at the Department, Mr. Wright will have the ability to re-establish a true all-of-the-above energy vision where technologies such as nuclear fusion, advanced geothermal, and carbon capture and storage will be unleashed alongside oil and gas. With help from the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories under his jurisdiction, the possibilities for U.S. energy innovation are limitless.

As global energy demand grows at an unprecedented rate, we need more energy. There is no doubt that under Mr. Wright’s leadership, the Department of Energy will promote this common-sense approach across the country, paving the way for an affordable, abundant, and environmentally responsible energy future. Don’t give in to the naysayers and alarmists—the Senate should move quickly to confirm Chris Wright’s nomination and unleash the power of American innovation for years to come.

Chris Barnard is President of the American Conservation Union (ACC). Follow him on X @ChrisBarnardDL

This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and provided via RealClearWire.

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