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ENVIRONMENT U.S.

The DOE Has a New Name for Fossil Fuels: ‘Freedom Gas’

American freedom gas for sale.
American freedom gas for sale. (Photo: Pixabay)

Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG [Liquified Natural Gas] project is critical to spreading ‘freedom gas’ throughout the world…

The Department of Energy has begun using peculiar phrasing in regards to fossil fuels. A press release on May 28th highlighted the marketing change, or an attempt to set a politically correct terminology for the various air pollutants.

“Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG [Liquified Natural Gas] project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving America’s allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy. Further, more exports of U.S. LNG to the world means more U.S. jobs and more domestic economic growth and cleaner air here at home and around the globe,” said U.S. Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes, who highlighted the approval at the Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada. “There’s no doubt today’s announcement furthers this Administration’s commitment to promoting energy security and diversity worldwide.”

Along with using ‘freedom gas’ to describe natural gas, the press release continued its marketing attempt by using ‘molecules of U.S. freedom’ in the passage below.

“Approval of additional LNG exports from Freeport LNG furthers this Administration’s commitment to promoting American energy, American jobs, and the American economy. Further, increased supplies of U.S. natural gas on the world market are critical to advancing clean energy and the energy security of our allies around the globe. With the U.S. in another year of record-setting natural gas production, I am pleased that the Department of Energy is doing what it can to promote an efficient regulatory system that allows for molecules of U.S. freedom to be exported to the world,” said Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg, who signed the export order and was also in attendance at the Clean Energy Ministerial.

Rationale Behind Phrases

Jeff Waldorf, Host of TYT Nation speaks about the situation and United States Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry’s acceptance of the new phrases.

As reported by Citizen Truth earlier in May, the United States is lacking behind when it comes to developing clean energy, especially in the automotive industry. “Possible high-quality and low-cost imports from China could pose a challenge to domestic automakers, much like the Japanese imports of the 1980s. Overcoming the conversion of changing technologies, loss of competitiveness and increased foreign competition will be a great challenge, especially in the aftermath of the 2009 bailout.”

United States President, Donald Trump also imposed a tariff on solar panels in January 2018, which damaged the short-term prospects of renewable energy within the country. Time Magazine reported at the time:

The U.S. will impose duties of as much as 30 percent on solar equipment made abroad, a move that threatens to handicap a $28 billion industry that relies on parts made abroad for 80 percent of its supply. Just the mere threat of tariffs has shaken solar developers in recent months, with some hoarding panels and others stalling projects in anticipation of higher costs. The Solar Energy Industries Association has projected tens of thousands of job losses in a sector that employed 260,000.

The tariffs are just the latest action Trump has taken that undermine the economics of renewable energy. The administration has already decided to pull the U.S. out of the international Paris climate agreement, rolled back Obama-era regulations on power plant-emissions and passed sweeping tax reforms that constrained financing for solar and wind. The import taxes, however, will prove to be the most targeted strike on the industry yet.

With the self-imposed stifling of the U.S. renewable energy sector, it makes sense the Trump administration would look to promote fossil fuels in such a flattering fashion.

Green Energy Popularity In US And Around The Globe

The Green New Deal (GND) and moving towards renewable energy has wide-ranging popularity in the United States. “The Sierra Club notes that so far in the U.S., more than 80 cities, five counties, and two states have committed to 100 percent renewables. Six cities have already hit the target,” notes a Vox article from October 2018. “The group RE100 tracks 152 private companies across the globe that have committed to 100 percent renewables, including Google, Ikea, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Nike, GM, and, uh, Lego.”

Groups such as Go 100% Renewable Energy, Ren21, and the aforementioned RE100 highlight cities and companies in the United States and around the globe moving to 100% renewable energy efficiency.

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Walter Yeates

Walter Yeates is a journalist, novelist, and screenwriter who embedded at Standing Rock with military Veterans and First People in December 2016. He covers a range of topics at Citizen Truth and is open for tips and suggestions. Twitter: www.twitter.com/GentlemansHall or www.twitter.com/SmoothJourno Muckrack: https://muckrack.com/walteryeates

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