In short, we’re “independent” when the cost of importing fossil fuels exceeds the cost of domestic production. The two ways this can happen are drastic technological improvements, and subsidies/tariffs on fuel resulting in economically wasteful overproduction. In the US we tend to give lip service to the former while actually implementing the latter.
In short, we’re “independent” when the cost of importing fossil fuels exceeds the cost of domestic production. The two ways this can happen are drastic technological improvements, and subsidies/tariffs on fuel resulting in economically wasteful overproduction. In the US we tend to give lip service to the former while actually implementing the latter.