Op-Ed: Don’t let shallow politics sink America’s energy policy
By Thomas Shumaker
Energy dominance requires America to do more than just drill for oil. For decades, conservative energy policy has wisely embraced an all-of-the above approach. The more energy sources we have, the more we can produce what we need, when we need it, at competitive prices.
We’ve all seen what happens when we rely too heavily on any one source. One winter storm can freeze pipelines, shut down power plants, and send demand — and prices — through the roof. If we want to ensure affordable, reliable energy for American businesses and families, we need to embrace solutions that strengthen our grid and diversify our energy supply.
Offshore wind is a domestically-produced, carbon-free resource that provides stability when Americans need it most. It’s time to stop treating it like a partisan wedge and start embracing it for what it is: a strategic, sensible, domestic asset.
The 2025 North Carolina Energy Poll tells us what voters already know and legislators must understand: 72% of North Carolina voters support candidates who champion more renewable energy options like wind and solar. Support among Republican voters grows even stronger when offshore wind’s benefits to fishing and local economic development are understood — both of which are thriving near America’s offshore wind farms.
With electricity demand climbing fast, timelines to build new gas plants are also rising. Current estimates put completion at four to five years, delaying the energy solutions we need urgently.
And although new nuclear technology may offer a significant opportunity in the future, we are still many years from any commercial-scale buildout. Offshore wind, however, has enough projects fully permitted and shovel-ready to power 2.5 million homes in the next two years.
Offshore wind carries high installation costs, but the wind itself costs nothing — and importantly, it never runs out. Once a project is constructed, it has zero underlying fuel costs, providing a hedge against fluctuations in global energy markets and protecting American consumers.
We don’t need to look far to see offshore wind already delivering on its promise. Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is more than 60% complete and set to be the largest offshore wind project in the United States.
Located far into the water 27 miles off Virginia Beach, the project is already generating economic benefits for Virginia’s communities, supporting over 900 construction jobs, driving more than $210 million in annual economic output, and generating millions in tax revenue for local and state governments. It’s a clear example of how strategic energy investments can support regional economies while strengthening national energy independence.
Already, offshore wind has driven billions in new investments, created thousands of American manufacturing jobs, revitalized legacy industries, and pioneered new technologies. This momentum is no accident. It is the result of smart policy, bipartisan support, and clear market demand for domestic energy solutions. If we fumble this moment, we risk imploding investor confidence, losing jobs, weakening our energy grid, and ceding ground to foreign adversaries.
Conservative values demand a pragmatic and realistic approach to addressing the evolving energy needs of the American people. Republicans, Democrats, and independents can unite to protect the tax incentives that power the nation’s energy investments.
Picking winners and losers in the market by scapegoating one energy source while favoring others will ultimately cause great harm. When electricity prices skyrocket or the grid fails in freezing temperatures, we’ll be wishing that we used all tools available to us, not just those of bygone generations.
In a time of great need and opportunity, we simply can’t afford to throw away a clear solution. That’s why the smartest path forward is an all-of-the-above energy strategy — one that remains open to every viable solution, especially those with the greatest potential to power our future.
Shumaker, based in Raleigh, is State Director of Conservatives for Clean Energy North Carolina.
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