Mark Finley

For energy security, power is the new oil

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Today, electricity is the new oil when it comes to energy security. The immediacy of power outages and the ubiquity of critical elements of modern life powered by electricity mean the impact of oil supply disruptions are a walk in the park compared with our power vulnerabilities. Moreover, our dependence on electricity and our vulnerability to disruptions are rising.  It is critical that we recognize that our national security – and a successful climate policy – both depend on building a more a robust and resilient power system.   Continue Reading →

Challenges ahead for US refiners?

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U.S. oil refiners have had a great run in recent years. World-class technical sophistication has combined with the shale boom (and an inadvertent assist from policy) to drive a dramatic shift in the competitiveness of U.S. refiners, moving the U.S. from a large net importer of refined products to now being one the largest net exporters. But market events in 2020 signal changes to come that will challenge the industry’s global competitiveness. Continue Reading →