The Biden-Harris administration’s green energy push is making America increasingly reliant on China, according to a report from the Heritage Foundation. The analysis argues that Democrats’ emphasis on renewable energy is giving China a strategic advantage due to its dominance in the supply chains for raw materials and components essential to wind, solar, and electric vehicle (EV) technologies.
China’s control over these supply chains puts America’s energy security at risk, the report warns. “If the U.S. continues on this path, it will hand over control of a vital section of the economy to a foreign adversary,” say authors Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Miles Pollard. The report highlights that China has achieved its dominance through unfair trade practices, state subsidies, and strategic investments in key industries.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has directed massive funding toward green energy, but the Heritage report argues that subsidizing green technologies is a losing battle against China’s entrenched dominance. The authors call for an end to green subsidies and a renewed focus on America’s own abundant fossil fuels and mineral resources.
The report also suggests reforming permitting processes to allow faster approval of domestic mining projects, which have slowed under the current administration’s regulatory approach. The analysis contends that blocking projects like Alaska’s Pebble Mine only deepens America’s dependence on foreign resources.
Beyond domestic solutions, the report urges the U.S. to leverage its influence at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to hold China accountable for its “developing nation” status, which allows it to skirt fair trade practices. The analysis concludes that America’s green energy strategy is sacrificing jobs, increasing energy costs, and giving China more control over the global economy.
