While it still seems to be a long way off, Iran and Trump seem to be considering the conditions they need to make peace. As I’ve noted in past Low-Energy Fridays, peace is better for the economy than war, which destroys productive resources and erodes investor confidence. But we must also understand that the way in which this peace is achieved may impact energy markets in the long term. While any peace is generally better economically than the status quo, risks caused by the war may remain even after a deal is made.
Rice University Researchers Discover Breakthrough PFAS-destroying Technology
First commercially introduced in the 1940s due to their water-, stain-, and grease-resistant properties, they are commonly found in clothing, non-stick cookware, and other everyday household items. Because they persist for long periods in the environment, PFAS have been found in drinking water across the country.
Can Florida Revolutionize the Nuclear Energy Sector?
A new bill in the Sunshine State’s legislature seeks to streamline the approval process for constructing nuclear reactors.
Home Batteries and the Conservative Case for Energy Independence
You wouldn't know it from the political debate, but the fastest-growing corner of the American energy market is also one of the most naturally conservative ideas in it: owning your own power. Home battery storage—the ability to store and manage the electricity that runs your household—is attracting growing investment, and greater attention from conservatives could be beneficial, particularly as the midterm elections approach.
What Makes This Oil Shock Different
The war with Iran has sent oil prices, and then gasoline prices, sharply higher. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, the main U.S. oil benchmark, rose from the mid-$60s per barrel in late February to around $100 on March 19. U.S. gasoline prices have followed suit, with the average price increasing from a pre-war level of under $3.00 per gallon to over $3.70 by mid-March.
To Save the Sequoias, Bring Back Good Fire
At the current pace, it would take the Forest Service more than 50 years to treat the 19 most at-risk sequoia groves in the country, a timeline the species cannot afford. With faster treatment efforts, more groves will be safeguarded from out-of-control wildfires.
Time to Waive the Jones Act Goodbye Forever
President Trump has suspended the Jones Act for 60 days to help lower gas prices. This raises the question: if the Jones Act is pushing up prices at the pump, why do we still have it? The simple, direct answer is that there are no valid reasons to keep it, and Congress should repeal it. ...
America Helped Build China’s Rare Earth Monopoly
China’s monopoly on rare earth elements is not accidental. The United States, once the world leader in rare earth element production, helped create its own decline as environmental regulations and shifting industrial economics pushed production capacity offshore, allowing an increasingly adversarial nation to gain leverage over materials essential to defense systems and advanced technologies. Reasserting U.S. independence will require rebuilding our domestic supply chain and renewed coordination between government and industry.
Natural Biopesticides Could Help Farmers Avoid Residue Limits and Reduce Food Waste
As the global population grows, bio-innovative solutions capable of meeting rising food demand will be critical to sustainably safeguarding the global food supply and mitigating environmental risks. Among the companies contributing to global crop protection efforts is Eden Research, a UK-based developer of sustainable fungicides.
Mining the Invisible: The Untapped Lithium Potential in America’s Landfills
The United States is sitting on a growing mineral supply hidden in plain sight: discarded electronics. Recovering lithium, cobalt, and rare earths from this waste, known as urban mining, could help strengthen the country’s domestic mineral supply, even though recycling these materials is not always as profitable as traditional mining under current market conditions.









