We heard “Drill, baby, Drill” often during the recent election. And, at TEA, we couldn’t be more excited about taking advantage of our vast American energy resources.

But, if we are going to truly reap the benefits of a renewed dedication to American energy affordability and security, we’ve got another for you—Build, baby, Build!

• The U.S. is going to need an increasing amount of electricity in the future as artificial intelligence and other technology places demands on our grid. Increased use of natural gas for electricity generation is the top reason for U.S. power sector emissions reductions over the past 17 years. In 2022 alone, the shift to natural gas provided an emissions reduction equivalent to 156 coal-fired power plants operating for a year. Building more natural gas-fired power plants is the most obvious way to meet both future electricity demands while also lowering emissions.
•  A Department of Energy study estimated that the U.S. needs to expand transmission lines 60% by 2030 and triple the lines available by 2050 to meet growing demand. If we don’t build these lines, it stalls economic development, new housing and makes our grid less reliable.
• The North American Electric Reliability Corp estimated that more than half the U.S. could face electricity shortages during extreme cold snaps because of the lack of natural gas infrastructure. But, for years now, pipelines—the safest energy transport system available—have been under attack with overregulation and legal battles. We need to cut this red tape and get back to building pipelines to transport our abundant energy resources to the communities that need them.
• We export liquefied natural gas (LNG) so that we can both support our allies abroad and create tens of billions of dollars of economic benefits here at home. When President Biden issued a “pause” on LNG export permits, it created a chilling effect on building new terminals. Fortunately, President-elect Trump has promised to undo that “pause,” which will allow for the construction of several needed LNG export terminals.

In America, we build things. That is part the heart and soul of this nation. And, what we need to build right now is energy infrastructure to bring affordable, reliable and clean energy security to every corner of the country and beyond

With “Build, baby, Build,” we can build a brighter future for our country—literally.