America faces an energy emergency—namely, a weakening electricity grid with the potential for blackouts. That’s why President Donald Trump has proposed rescinding a Biden-era rule that closed the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to oil and natural gas exploration, after allowing exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve earlier this year.

Current U.S. electricity supplies are inadequate. As more wind and solar are added to the grid due to Inflation Reduction Act subsidies, coal-powered and some gas-fired generators face retirement. All the while, energy demand is growing due to data centers and artificial intelligence technology.

That means the U.S. faces increased risk of blackouts.

In a December report, the North American Electricity Reliability Corporation laid out the danger of blackouts from 2025 to 2029.

In it, NERC predicted that the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which provides electricity for 15 states from Wisconsin to Louisiana, may suffer a shortage of electricity in the high-demand months of summer and winter.

Over the past two weeks, parts of Louisiana and Texas have suffered blackouts.

Blackouts cause not only economic harm, but risk of death and injury. People can die when dialysis and oxygen machines don’t work. Frail and sick people can die when air conditioning and heating go off. Lack of refrigeration leads to spoiled food and food shortages.

And renewable energy solutions aren’t doing anything to mitigate the issue. Over the past 20 years, the world has spent $10 trillion on subsidies for wind and solar—and the two still can’t manage without subsidies.

America itself is spending billions on green energy, which isn’t having any effect on the climate, but which is weakening the electricity grid, adding to our $36 trillion national debt, and slowing economic growth, leaving us too little for benefits and defense.

Government models show that even if Europe stopped using all fossil fuels today, the difference would only be one-tenth of a degree Celsius by the year 2100. Similarly, if America stopped using all fossil fuels today, the difference would be just two-tenths of a degree Celsius by 2100.

The sun shines and the wind blows for free, but providing electricity to people with intermittent renewables like wind and solar is more difficult than with baseload power, such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. That’s why we need more oil and gas.

The recent 12-hour blackout in Spain should serve as a wake-up call about the risks of relying too much on solar and wind. America does not want to face similar problems.

The real winner from renewable energy use is China, which makes about 75% of wind turbines and solar panels used in renewable energy generation, as well as batteries for solar backup and electric vehicles. Trump’s China tariffs, his potential expansion of Alaskan oil and natural gas production, and his removal of the green tax credits will all tilt American energy policy in a more resilient direction.

The danger of potential blackouts is the reason that Trump declared an energy emergency on his first day in office, as well as the reason that he’s now proposed reopening Alaska to oil development.

Trump seeks to cut subsidies for renewables; keep some existing power plants running; roll back some environmental rules; and pull out of net-zero international agreements. The goal? To make sure America has a reliable power supply.

Today, the news focuses on economic growth and national security, as well as the importance of reducing unemployment, cutting the deficit, and a strong defense against Russia and China.

But few mention the fundamental building block needed for all these matters: inexpensive and reliable energy—including energy from Alaska.