China’s Red Stain on “Green” Energy

January 14, 2025

China’s dominance over the world’s supply of critical minerals poses a grave threat to U.S. national security if we make ourselves reliant on wind and solar power. With control over up to 70% of the world’s critical minerals and 90% of the processing capacity, China’s stranglehold on these resources is a stark reminder of the reality of “green” energy sources. China could cut off the supply of critical minerals with the snap of a finger, crippling key industries and military capabilities. Meanwhile, the United States still has vast untapped oil and gas reserves. In a new report from the New York Post:

“Burdensome regulations and decades of lackluster investment have left the US dangerously reliant on China – which mines up to 70% of the world’s critical minerals, controls roughly 90% of the processing capacity and regularly uses unfair trade tactics to press its advantage, sources told The Post.”

China’s control over critical minerals should be a wake-up call for those in the U.S. who have not recognized this reality. The U.S. must act swiftly to secure its own supply chain, not just for economic stability but for national security, and oil and gas can fill many of those holes while supporting American workers. But, more needs to be done to expedite the permitting process and incentivize domestic exploration to unleash American energy.

China’s grip on critical minerals is a national security bind that the U.S. cannot afford to ignore if policymakers continue to restrict oil and gas. The dirty truth is that “renewable” sources of energy are not renewable at all, nor are they green. They require incredibly environmentally extractive and disruptive mining from questionable labor sources. Power The Future details this in its white paper and encourages policymakers and the public to fully understand wind and solar’s supply chains before supporting dangerous policies that put China’s interests above our own.