President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act has steered U.S. energy policy firmly towards wind and solar power, heavily reliant on China for production. This creates significant geopolitical dependencies, weakens national security, and risks vulnerabilities in the event of military conflict.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has set the United States on a path towards a renewable energy future, with wind, solar, and battery power taking center stage. However, this shift presents a significant national security concern, as America has become increasingly dependent on China for the production of these technologies.
China currently dominates the global production of wind, solar, and batteries, with over 80% market share in solar, 60% in wind turbines, and nearly 60% in EV batteries. This dominance raises concerns about geopolitical dependencies, similar to Europe's reliance on Russian natural gas.
In the event of a military conflict with China, the global economy would face severe challenges due to its dependence on Taiwanese semiconductor production and Chinese energy and mineral sectors. Overreliance on China for renewable energy production poses a security risk, as disruptions in the supply chain could cripple America's energy infrastructure.
Moreover, the transition to renewable energy involves substantial wealth and knowledge transfer to China. China's dominance in these industries strengthens the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which openly aims to replace the U.S. as the global leader. Additionally, approximately half of the science and engineering Ph.D. candidates in the U.S. are foreign-born, with Chinese students receiving the largest percentage of student visas.
The U.S. must address the security vulnerabilities posed by domestic renewable energy facilities. The dispersed and unguarded nature of wind and solar farms make them easy targets for cyber and kinetic attacks. The Chinese company BYD, a major battery manufacturer, remotely controls battery maintenance for California solar plants from China, raising concerns about potential malicious interference.
In recent years, China has exhibited increasing belligerence, sinking civilian ships, annexing Hong Kong, and conducting simulated air strikes over Taiwan. The Chinese leader Xi Jinping has declared a willingness to engage in "bloody battle" to assert China's global dominance.
These geopolitical trends underscore the urgent need for the U.S. to address the vulnerabilities created by its dependence on Chinese-produced renewable energy technologies. Diversifying supply chains, investing in domestic production, and strengthening cyber and physical security measures are crucial to ensuring America's energy independence and national security.
Failure to address these concerns could jeopardize America's ability to protect its energy infrastructure and respond to emerging geopolitical threats. The "energy transition" cannot come at the expense of national security, and the U.S. must take proactive steps to mitigate the risks associated with its reliance on China for renewable energy production.
