Is achieving U.S. energy independence plausible?
Eliminating 12 million b/d of oil imports from our daily lives is not plausible. In fact, talk of energy independence is ridiculous and may not even be a worthwhile goal. For example, if achieving energy independence means relying on very high-cost forms of energy when suitable low-cost sources of supply are available internationally, then economic well-being and consumer welfare could be compromised by favoring self-sufficiency over free trade.
