- All
- Issue Briefs and Fact Sheets
- News Bulletin
- Press Releases
- Regulatory Comments
- Reports
SAFE’s Center for Grid Security: Permitting Reform – A National Security Priority for the New Administration
With a new administration prioritizing U.S. infrastructure, economic resilience, and national security, SAFE’s Center for Grid Security has released a series of fact sheets underscoring how permitting reform is critical for modernizing the U.S. power grid. Current permitting processes delay essential energy infrastructure, compromising national defense, economic stability, and America’s competitive edge—essential projects may take […]
FACT SHEET: The Role of Transmission in U.S. Strategic Competitiveness with China
SAFE’s Center for Grid Security has published a fact sheet detailing the PRC’s strategic investments in their transmission network and grid infrastructure. While the U.S. currently enjoys an advantage over China’s grid infrastructure, the CCP’s recent investments aim to close the power generation and transmission gap that currently exists between the PRC and the U.S. […]
SAFE’s Coalition for Reimagined Mobility’s Comments on the Department of Commerce’s Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Connected Vehicles Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
On Monday, October 28, SAFE’s Coalition for Reimagined Mobility (ReMo) submitted comments in response to the Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain: Connected Vehicles Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The NPRM addresses the sale or import of connected vehicles utilizing components sufficiently linked to […]
Trading Tensions: Navigating Policy Tools for a Diverse Critical Minerals Supply Chain
As critical minerals become increasingly essential to national security, advanced industrial competitiveness, and energy resiliency, they have become the focus of new geopolitical rivalries. Trade policy has emerged as an area of bipartisan alignment as U.S. policymakers work to confront global supply chain, manufacturing, and competitiveness challenges. This report from SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals […]
FACT SHEET: The Importance of Transmission to American Reindustrialization & Economic Security
SAFE’s Center for Grid Security has published a fact sheet detailing the important role America’s energy transmission infrastructure plays in unlocking significant economic benefits, ensuring long-term reindustrialization, preserving economic competitiveness and supporting our immediate and long-term national security. Bureaucratic gridlock has prevented the U.S. from building and modernizing the necessary infrastructure to power America’s growing […]
SAFE Responds to the Department of Energy Request for Information on Critical Mineral Market Dynamics, Price Support, and Stockpiling Measures
SAFE’s Minerals Center advises pricing supports do not provide a silver bullet to fundamental market challenges. SAFE advocates for a more comprehensive, coordinated policy approach that enhances overall U.S. competitiveness in the critical minerals sector and careful analysis before pursuing price support mechanisms to address volatility in critical minerals markets to avoid unintended consequences. Washington, […]
SAFE Experts Comment on Section 301 Tariff Review
Responding to the Biden administration’s trade policy decisions impacting $18 billion worth of goods, conducted as part of the statutorily required 4-year review of Section 301 Tariffs, SAFE’s experts provided the following comments: Avery Ash, Executive Director of SAFE’s Coalition for Reimagined Mobility: “Connected, automated and electric technologies will define the next 100 years of success in the automotive sector. […]
SAFE’s ReMo Comments on National Security Impacts of Connected Vehicles to Commerce Department
Today, SAFE’s Coalition for Reimagined Mobility (ReMo) submitted a detailed comment letter per the Commerce Department’s request for comment on the national security implications of connected vehicles with foreign components. While SAFE and ReMo anticipate that this investigation will uncover significant risks, it is imperative that strategic decoupling from foreign adversaries for vehicle components and […]
SAFE’s Joe Quinn Testifies Before the U.S. Department of Treasury on the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit
Washington, D.C.—On February 22, SAFE Vice President of Strategic Industrial Materials Joe Quinn testified at the U.S. Department of Treasury’s public hearing on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit. The hearing followed the conclusion of a six-week comment period on the proposed rule. In his testimony, Quinn commended Treasury’s amended aluminum […]
SAFE Comments on IRS Proposed Rulemaking Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit
In response to the IRS notice of proposed rulemaking for Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit, SAFE offered these comments, as the proposed rule would be a primary tool in the national effort to build a domestic clean energy supply chain. Read SAFE’s full comments. […]
Issue Brief: Developing Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chains for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth
SAFE’s Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy has published recommendations, previously shared with the U.S. government, to improve standards, security, and transparency in global mineral supply chains. The recommendations aim to empower lower-income, minerals-rich countries to move beyond extraction and develop advanced mineral economies while meeting surging global demand for energy transition […]
Unlocking 21st Century Mobility System: How to Rethink the Future of Mobility and Restore Leadership in Transportation Innovation
This seminal report from SAFE’s Coalition for Reimagined Mobility (ReMo) aims to reset the narrative around transportation innovation on the premise that bold action and coordinated commitment among a diverse set of stakeholders is necessary to unlock the potential of mobility enabling technologies that benefit society and the planet at-large and improve people’s daily lives. […]
SAFE Weighs How to Effectively Incorporate Materials Costs in 45X
Production cost exclusion for raw materials may undermine domestic investments Washington, D.C. (December 15, 2023)—In further response to the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement yesterday on the proposed guidance regarding the Inflation Reduction Act Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit 45X, SAFE Acting Director of the Center for Critical Minerals Strategy Abigail Hunter issued the following statement: “Processing […]
SAFE Case Study Finds Electric, Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs) Could Significantly Reduce Air and Noise Pollution in Cities
The latest case study from SAFE’s Center for Automated Transportation Technology (CATT) shows that modest deployment of electric, shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) would result in noise and air pollution reductions, especially in disadvantaged communities, where these impacts are often disproportionately concentrated. The case study, “Environmental and Equity Implications of Electric, Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs) in […]
SAFE Report: U.S. Must Address Power Grid Vulnerability, Transmission Infrastructure To Ensure Secure Energy Transition
Washington, D.C. (September 26, 2023)—Today, SAFE’s Grid Security Project (GSP) released a report, Grid in Peril: The Problem Statement, detailing the significant risks that threaten the U.S. electrical power grid’s ability to provide reliable and resilient electric power. This report outlines the confluence of current and emerging challenges facing this essential infrastructure as the U.S. […]
SAFE Report Analyzes Global Insights for Restoring America’s Aluminum Industry
From SAFE’s Center for Strategic Industrial Materials (C-SIM), the report, “Global Insights: Energy and Environmental Aluminum Solutions,” examines what the U.S. and allies can learn from aluminum manufacturing policies around the world to overcome challenges to the aluminum industry’s viability, including high energy costs, price volatility, and strategic market manipulation by Beijing. Beijing, recognizing the […]
SAFE Report Examines Trade Policy for the U.S. Aluminum Industry
From SAFE’s Center for Strategic and Industrial Materials (C-SIM) the report, “Political Tailwinds: Examining Trade Policy for the U.S. Aluminum Industry” examines how aluminum trade has been disputed, tariffed, monitored, traced, and capped, over the last decade. The most recent three presidential administrations have dealt with these issues multilaterally, bilaterally, and independently. While trade policy related to […]
SAFE Report: Electricity Shortfalls Impede IRA’s Materials Production Goals
(May 10, 2023) – Today, the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Materials (C-SIM) released a report examining how recent domestic policies designed to promote the energy transition and reduce carbon emissions are increasing demand for aluminum used in many of the needed technologies but without addressing supply-side challenges, specifically the affordable electricity generation and distribution […]
Report: A Global Race to the Top for Critical Minerals
The SAFE Center for Critical Minerals Strategy has released its inaugural report “A Global Race to the Top: Using Transparency to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains.” The report examines the extent to which the United States can work with major allies and, per Inflation Reduction Act requirements, countries with which it shares a free […]
How to deploy Autonomous Vehicles to increase accessible personal mobility
Increasing Mobility and Access with Autonomous Vehicles looks at how policymakers and AV companies can help shared AVs increase access to vital services and opportunities for communities who currently lack adequate transportation options. More than 25 million adults in this country have travel-limiting disabilities, a number that will grow as the U.S. population ages. […]
The U.S. Aluminum Industry’s Energy Problem and Energy Solution
Aluminum is critical to our economic and national security through its defense, aerospace, electricity, and transportation uses. Demand will continue to grow as the economy transitions to a more sustainable energy future with the electrification of automobiles and new green technologies. A new report from SAFE’s Center for Strategic Industrial Materials (C-SIM), The U.S. Aluminum […]
New Brief Looks at the Energy Benefits of Widespread AV Adoption
SAFE’s Center for Automated Transportation Technology has released the first in a series of policy research briefs, Maximizing Energy Efficiency through Widespread AV Deployment. The issue brief highlights that widespread adoption of shared, electric AV technology could cut fuel consumption by half and reduce carbon emissions by 75% – all while making roads safer and […]
SAFE and Electrification Coalition Release V2X Implementation Guide
SAFE and the Electrification Coalition have released the V2X Implementation Guide: Implementation Guide and Mutual Aid Agreement Template for Using Vehicle-to-Everything-Enabled Electric School Buses as Mobile Power Units to Enhance Resilience During Emergencies, which can be downloaded for free here. Electric school buses (ESBs) equipped with vehicle-to-everything (V2X), or bidirectional charging capability, can serve as “mobile […]
SAFE Urges NHSTA to Approve GM Cruise Petition for Purpose Built Vehicle, Origin
SAFE has urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to grant the petition for exemption submitted by GM Cruise for their purpose-built vehicle the Origin. If granted, the exemption would allow flexibility in the design of autonomous vehicles (AVs) which exclude conventional features such as a steering wheel. Deploying purpose-built AVs for passenger travel […]
SAFE & EC Release Report Containing Policy Recommendations to Advance Adoption of V2G Technology
WASHINGTON, D.C. – SAFE and the Electrification Coalition released a report on Wednesday that highlights policy opportunities to accelerate the adoption of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. As electric vehicle (EV) adoption accelerates across all vehicle classes, V2G capability can help manage system load and provide power back to the grid during times of need, thereby strengthening the […]
SAFE Report: Getting From U.S. Energy ‘Mirage’ to ‘Arsenal’
On April 5, 2022, SAFE released “Overcoming America’s Energy Security Mirage” which contained recommendations to remedy petroleum supply shortfalls, provide needed assurance to global oil markets, and overcome America’s persistent and dangerous overreliance on oil for automobile transportation. “For too long Americans have been sold a fallacy that ample domestic oil reserves would make our […]
SAFE Report Addresses How U.S. Industry Can Benefit from Climate Imperatives, Security Concerns
Washington, D.C. – Today, SAFE Commanding Heights issued Stoking an Industrial Renaissance: Opportunities for U.S. Decision-Makers. The report outlines policy proposals that can revitalize American manufacturing to compete in a world shaped by the rise of China and the value of reducing carbon emissions. Shortages of medical equipment, semi-conductors, and consumer goods leading up to […]
SAFE Calls For Stringency In EPA Hearing For Proposed GHG Vehicle Rules
As transportation goes electric, more stringent mileage standards will be vital in accelerating U.S. efforts to lead that shift. SAFE Chairman Admiral Dennis Blair, the former Director of National Intelligence and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, encouraged increased stringency in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) virtual public hearing on revised GHG vehicle emissions rules. In his comments, […]
Commercial Goods Transport: Widening the Road to Electrification
Read the report As transportation shifts from a petroleum past to a connected, electric future, a new paper from SAFE, the Electrification Coalition and the Bipartisan Policy Center concludes that Congress has an opportunity to put the United States in the lead by creating a pathway for the expedited electrification of commercial goods transport. To […]
SAFE Submits Letter To House Ways & Means Committee Supporting EV And EV Infrastructure Tax Credits
As the United States competes with China for leadership in tomorrow’s connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicle technologies, SAFE submitted a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on leveraging the tax code for infrastructure investment that urged strong, bipartisan support for the inclusion of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Credit (Section 30D), the […]
A Regulatory Framework for Autonomous Vehicle Deployment and Safety
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) promise significant improvements in safety, productivity, efficiency, equity and national security – but fully realizing these benefits hinges on safe and responsible deployment that builds public trust. Safety is therefore a critical metric of AV regulation and deployment, but in the absence of a federal framework for AVs industry has faced uncertainty as […]
SAFE Comments on NHTSA Framework for Automated Driving System Safety NPRM
In comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on its NPRM regarding the creation of a framework for automated driving safety, SAFE noted that it appreciates the acknowledgement from NHTSA that this notice represents a departure from previous agency notices regarding automated driving systems (ADS), as it looks beyond existing Federal Motor Vehicle […]
SAFE Report Addresses Employment Effects of Domestic Electric Vehicle Supply Chains
The global transportation system is shifting from a gasoline past to a connected, electric future, with considerable strategic and economic rewards for the country that leads the transition. Currently, the unrivaled leader in this race is China, which exerts vast control over every step of the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, from minerals to markets. […]
SAFE Report Provides Recommendations to Promote Domestic Supply Chains for Electric Vehicles
A bipartisan, federal response is required for the United States to compete with China’s ownership of the next generation of transportation, according to The Commanding Heights Of Global Transportation, a new report from SAFE which emphasizes the need to compete with China as a national security priority. Government policies worldwide prioritizing lower-carbon economies, in addition […]
Fostering Economic Opportunity through Autonomous Vehicle Technology
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) hold significant potential to open up wider economic opportunities currently beyond the reach of many low-income households due to inadequate transportation, a new study by SAFE finds. The report, “Fostering Economic Opportunity through Autonomous Vehicle Technology,” concludes that on-demand, point-to-point AV transit can cut financial stress by providing reliable, affordable and efficient […]
SAFE Comments on NHTSA Occupant Protection for Automated Driving Systems NPRM
In comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), SAFE applauds the agency’s initiative to update legacy standards that present barriers to the deployment of vehicles equipped with automated driving systems (ADS) that have novel and unconventional designs. This includes vehicles that will not have a driver or manually operated driving controls – and […]
Get America Moving Again
Alongside its tragic human cost, COVID-19 has illuminated the vulnerabilities of our economy, with more than 30 million Americans losing their jobs in just six weeks. To catalyze the country’s recovery and strengthen the U.S. economy, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) is launching Get America Moving Again, a detailed plan to stimulate the economy and […]
SAFE Cautions Texas Railroad Commission Against Prorating
Ahead of tomorrow’s meeting by the Railroad Commission of Texas to consider prorating oil production in the state, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) President and CEO Robbie Diamond submitted a letter urging against the practice. The letter calls upon the Commission to consider the long-term energy security consequences of such a decision. Read the letter. […]
NOPEC: Providing A Tool To Counter The OPEC Cartel
Ahead of an April 3 White House meeting between President Trump and American oil executives, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) released an issue brief calling on policymakers to reiterate the United States’ commitment to free and fair markets—with passing the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act (NOPEC) as a strong first step. The issue […]
ESLC Submits Letter to FCC Chairman Opposing Plan To Cut Vehicle Safety Spectrum
The Co-Chairs of SAFE’s Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC) — Frederick W. Smith, the Chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation and General James Conway, the 34th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps — authored a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai urging the FCC to maintain the spectrum for vehicle connectivity, noting that “such a […]
SAFE Submits Comments To FCC On 5.9GHz Spectrum
In response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposed rule that would reallocate portions of the 5.9 GHz spectrum away from connected vehicle (V2X) applications, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) submitted comments noting that revoking this spectrum from transportation applications will indefinitely forestall the realization of the significant safety and efficiency benefits of vehicle connectivity. […]
SAFE Calls For Federal AV Framework In Letter For House Hearing
In connection with a hearing of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce on autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) submitted a letter for the hearing record which calls for the establishment of a federal AV framework as a priority for America’s energy security, economy, and […]
Micromobility: Revolutionizing Personal Transportation
Micromobility has emerged as a popular and affordable form of transportation in cities across the country, with more than 84 million trips were taken in 2018 alone. Micromobility offers a supplement to existing public transit, has already begun to replace vehicle trips in urban centers, and has even spurred some riders to reduce the number […]
Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0
On January 8, 2020, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao released the Trump Administration’s third major policy document pertaining to automated vehicle policy, Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (“AV 4.0”). SAFE’s analysis shows AV 4.0 provides a full overview of the range of activities that the entire U.S. government is undertaking to […]
SAFE’s 2019 Congressional Briefing Book
SAFE’s 2019 Congressional Briefing Book offers concrete policy solutions that will help reduce problems posed by American oil dependence. […]
America’s Workforce and the Self-Driving Future
SAFE’s groundbreaking policy brief addresses key workforce concerns over driver-less vehicle deployment. […]
SAFE Urges Federal AV Framework In Senate Hearing Letter
In connection with a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on the development of safety technology for autonomous vehicles (AVs), Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) submitted a letter for the hearing record which calls for the establishment of a federal AV framework as an economic and national security priority. In the letter, submitted as […]
SAFE Makes EV Energy Security Case in Letter for House Hearing
In connection with a hearing today with the House Committee on Energy & Commerce’s Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change on moving away from petroleum-based fuels in the transportation sector, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) submitted a letter for the hearing record that outlined the economic and national security need for reducing our dependence on […]
Airstrikes on Abqaiq Reveal Fragility of Global Oil Supply, Demonstrate Need for United States to Reduce Oil Dependence
The September 14 strikes that crippled Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility should act as a reminder to policymakers that disruptions in supply anywhere in the world can still impact the United States. The Issue Brief, Airstrikes on Abqaiq Reveal Fragility of Global Oil Supply, Demonstrate Need for United States to Reduce Oil Dependence, details how […]
SAFE Urges NHTSA To Approve Groundbreaking Nuro And Cruise Petitions
Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) has urged the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to consider petitions submitted by GM Cruise and Nuro to allow flexibility in the design of autonomous vehicles (AVs) operating on public roads. Granting the petitions would allow the companies to deploy vehicles without conventional features such as a steering wheel, […]
SAFE Comments on DOT Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Program
In response to the ongoing development of autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies and in anticipation of continued AV testing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to obtain public comments on the design of a national pilot program that will enable the agency to monitor current AV […]
The Military Cost of Defending Global Oil Supplies
According to the calculations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the cost to the United States of defending the global oil supply is zero. This zero-cost estimate comes from the methodology used by the U.S. government budgets for national defense. Since it is difficult to assign a cost to […]
Using Fuel Efficiency Regulations to Conserve Fuel and Save Lives by Accelerating Industry Investment in Autonomous and Connected Vehicles
Following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) updated final determination to revisit fuel economy standards for model years 2022–2025, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) has authored a report exploring how to modify the standards that would provide short-term flexibility the industry needs, but also maintain strong long-term goals that incorporate new technologies while improving roadway safety […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q4 2017
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and advanced fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q4 2017 examines improvements in light-duty fuel economy, how […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q3 2017
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and advanced fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q3 2017 examines growth in the U.S. electric vehicle […]
Saudi Arabia’s Transformation and U.S. Energy Security: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst…
A policy essay by Jonathan Chanis, SAFE’s Senior Vice President of Policy, argues that the potential for regime instability in Saudi Arabia, or military conflict in the Persian Gulf, is a reminder of the importance of ending U.S. dependence on oil. Any type of conflict in the Persian Gulf endangers global oil supplies, and the impact […]
Heavy Duty Innovation: Energy, Automation & Technology in the Trucking Sector
Trucking forms the backbone of the U.S. economy, currently moving more than $725 billion in annual revenue across the country. Yet as freight deliveries are set to grow 40 percent by 2040, smart policy is required to meet this demand while also improving roadway safety and fuel efficiency. A new report released today by SAFE […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q2 2017
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and advanced fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q2 2017 examines the rise of terrorist attacks on […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q1 2017
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and advanced fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q1 2017 examines the resurgence of the U.S. oil […]
SAFE Analysis Shows 80 Percent of Light-Duty Autonomous Vehicles Use Alternative Fuel Powertrains
A new analysis by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), submitted today to the House Energy and Commerce Committee as part of the “Self-Driving Cars: Road to Deployment” hearing, provides further evidence of the natural link between autonomous and electric vehicles. SAFE finds that 58 percent of autonomous light-duty vehicle retrofits and models are built over […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q4 2016
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q4 2016 examines the pace of the oil market’s rebalancing, […]
Self Driving Cars: The Impact On People With Disabilities
A white paper commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation and Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) has revealed that two million employment opportunities could be opened up, and $19 billion in annual healthcare expenditures could be saved, if people with disabilities had access to the basic transportation needs that could be provided by autonomous vehicles. Despite […]
Self-Driving Cars: The Impact on People With Disabilities
A white paper commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation and Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) has revealed that two million employment opportunities could be opened up, and $19 billion in annual healthcare expenditures could be saved, if people with disabilities had access to the basic transportation needs that could be provided by autonomous vehicles. Despite […]
Recommendations of the Commission on Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Safety
The Commission on Autonomous Vehicle Testing and Safety’s report provides industry and regulators with recommendations to address public policy and safety issues that have the potential to slow or halt deployment of autonomous vehicles (AVs). In light of the significant regulatory challenges facing this rapidly-evolving industry, the Commission presents a number of best-practice recommendations to foster increased […]
Saudi Arabia: The Power Behind OPEC
Saudi Arabia: The Power Behind OPEC, is latest in a series of Issue Briefs authored by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) focusing on the future of the cartel. The paper addresses how OPEC’s strategy is influenced chiefly by Saudi Arabia, and how the country’s domestic changes affect the group’s policy. The Issue Brief finds that Saudi Arabia’s […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q3 2016
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q3 2016 examines energy and the presidency, continued price volatility, […]
Midterm Evaluation of Fuel Economy Standards
SAFE’s latest Issue Brief examines the Midterm Evaluation of fuel economy standards. Summary: In 2012, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) together finalized a rulemaking establishing fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks for model years 2017 through 2025. The agencies estimated that the extension […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q2 2016
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. The Energy Security Fact Pack for Q2 2016 examines the slow pace of the oil market’s […]
The OPEC (Saudi) Strategy
Summary At the conclusion of its November 2014 meeting, OPEC, led by de facto swing producer Saudi Arabia, went against decades of historical precedent and initiated a global price war. The price of oil tumbled from June 2014 highs of over $110 per barrel (bbl) to less than $50/bbl in January 2015. Prices fell as […]
National Strategy for Energy Security: The Innovation Revolution
The National Strategy for Energy Security: The Innovation Revolution offers a range of solutions to the challenges created by recurring extreme oil price volatility, exacerbated by the anti-market conduct of foreign governments and national oil companies. […]
SAFE Testimony to Senate Commerce on Driverless Car Rules
SAFE submitted written testimony to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Technology calling for an “Autonomous First” approach to the deployment of driverless cars, rather than a slower, iterative approach. Such a regulatory framework should enable this rapidly evolving technology to deliver the maximum possible energy security and social benefit—significantly reducing America’s dependence on […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q4 2015
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This edition of the SAFE Energy Security Fact Pack examines the effect of low oil […]
Rising Tensions Between Saudi Arabia and Iran Threaten Regional Oil Supplies
The developing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, prompted by the Saudi execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr and subsequent retaliation by Iranian hardliners on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, has triggered a deepening crisis in already poor relations between the two regional powers, threatening oil supplies. The developing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran, […]
Oil Security Index: January 2016
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of 16 countries around the world. SAFE’s Oil Security Index gives readers a detailed breakdown of how change in the production and consumption of oil affects the security of some of the world’s […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q3 2015
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This quarter’s edition updates fiscal breakeven oil prices for select OPEC member countries and Russia […]
Oil Security Index: October 2015
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of 16 countries around the world. SAFE’s Oil Security Index gives readers a detailed breakdown of how change in the production and consumption of oil affects the security of some of the world’s major […]
Estimated Oil Savings from EPA’s Proposed Phase 2 Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Rule
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles represent the fastest growing component of U.S. transportation oil demand, projected to increase from approximately 2.8 mbd consumed today to 3.4 mbd in 2040. Because oil currently powers 92 percent of the transportation sector, strengthening fuel economy standards for these vehicles is a critical part of any effort to enhance U.S. […]
USPS Fleet Procurement for the 21st Century
The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced that it plans to replace its aging delivery fleet with up to 180,000 identical “Next Generation Delivery Vehicles” (NGDVs), potentially missing out on up to $2 billion in savings by using an alternative approach. The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced that it plans to replace […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q2 2015
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This edition of the SAFE Energy Security Fact Pack shines a light on the proposed […]
Oil Security Index: August 2015
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of 16 countries around the world. SAFE’s Oil Security Index gives readers a detailed breakdown of how change in the production and consumption of oil affects the security of some of the world’s major […]
Yemen Conflict Threatens to Add Entrenched Risk Premium and Price Volatility to Global Oil Market
SAFE’s latest Issue Brief examines the current political unrest and violence in the Republic of Yemen and its implications for the broader global oil market. Since Saudi Arabia began airstrikes on Houthi rebel targets in Yemen in late March, more than 1,800 people have been killed. As a reaction to the airstrikes, oil prices jumped […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: May 2015
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This edition of the Energy Security Fact Pack explores the effects of lower oil prices […]
Oil Security Index: April 2015
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of 16 countries around the world. SAFE’s Oil Security Index gives readers a detailed breakdown of how change in the production and consumption of oil affects the security of some of the world’s major […]
Impact of Introducing an Electric Vehicle Rebate on the Oregon State Economy
Impact of Introducing an Electric Vehicle Rebate on the Oregon State Economy, commissioned by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) in partnership with the Electrification Coalition, and prepared by Keybridge Research LLC, examines the potential economic effects of introducing an EV rebate on the state’s economy Establishing an electric vehicle (EV) rebate program for the purchase […]
Impact of Eliminating the Alternative-Fuel Vehicle Tax Exemption on the Washington State Economy
Impact of Eliminating the Alternative-Fuel Vehicle Tax Exemption on the Washington State Economy,commissioned by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) in partnership with the Electrification Coalition, and prepared by Keybridge Research LLC, examines the economic effects of a possible elimination of the electric vehicle tax exemption on Washington’s economy. Washington currently offers an exemption of its […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q4 2014
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This edition of the Energy Security Fact Pack investigates several developing trends in domestic and […]
Impact of Eliminating the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit on the Georgia State Economy
Impact of Elimination of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit on the Georgia State Economy, commissioned by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) in partnership with the Electrification Coalition, and prepared by Keybridge Research LLC, examines the economic effects of a possible elimination of the electric vehicle tax credit on the Georgia state economy. Georgia currently offers […]
Oil Security Index: January 2015
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of thirteen countries around the world. When launched in October 2013, SAFE’s Oil Security Index was hailed as an essential tool for those seeking greater insight into both what constitutes oil security, and which […]
Iranian Nuclear Negotiations: As Talks Extend, Oil Markets Tilt in the Balance in Favor of the P5+1
Summary Last week, Iran and the P5+1 negotiators announced that they would again extend talks aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear program, with a proposed final framework due by March 1, 2015, and a final deal due by July 1. Since the previous 2014 extension, oil markets have experienced a significant shift. With global oil demand […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q3 2014
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. This edition of the Energy Security Fact Pack investigates several developing trends in domestic and […]
Updating Fiscal Break-Even Oil Prices: As Oil Tumbles, What are the Risks for Exporters?
Summary Public spending has risen sharply since 2009 in several key oil producers that depend on oil export revenue to balance their budgets. As a result, governments in oil exporting nations account for 45 percent of global oil supply will require an oil price in excess of $90 per barrel (bbl) to finance 2015 budget […]
Oil Security Index: October 2014
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of thirteen countries around the world. When launched in October 2013, SAFE’s Oil Security Index was hailed as an essential tool for those seeking greater insight into both what constitutes oil security, and which […]
Consumer Gasoline Spending Near All-Time High in 2013 Despite Domestic Oil Boom
SAFE’s analysis of the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that despite record domestic oil production, U.S. consumer spending on gasoline remained near all-time highs last year. Recent data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) indicates that the average U.S. household spent more than $2,600 […]
Energy Security Fact Pack: Q2 2014
SAFE’s Energy Security Fact Pack gives readers a data-driven overview of the latest trends in energy security, including domestic and global oil production and consumption, oil market dynamics and prices, and up-to-date information on fuel efficiency and alternative fuel vehicles. Driving this edition of the Energy Security Fact Pack is the uptick in intensity of […]
Iran Nuclear Deal: Scenarios for the Global Oil Market
Summary With the July 20 deadline for the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran fast approaching, Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and Roubini Global Economics (RGE) have assessed three potential oil market and geopolitical scenarios based on differing outcomes from the negotiations: a temporary deal (70 percent probability); a final settlement (20 percent probability); and a […]
Oil Security Index: July 2014
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to understand and compare the relative oil security of thirteen countries around the world. When launched in October 2013, SAFE’s Oil Security Index was hailed as an essential tool for those seeking greater insight into both what constitutes oil security, and which […]
Further Social and Political Fragmentation and Descent into Civil War in Iraq Could Send Global Oil Prices Skyrocketing
The current crisis in Iraq is a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of the United States to the inherent instability of the global oil market. The situation in Iraq has deteriorated rapidly over the past week, with significant implications for regional security and oil markets. Sunni militants aligned with former Baathist elements and tribal groups have […]
How Venezuela’s Economic and Political Distress Impact the Oil Sector
Summary Venezuela’s economic and political deterioration will continue to have important implications for the country’s oil industry. As of 2013, U.S. oil imports from Venezuela account for 8 percent of total U.S. imports, making Venezuela the fourth-largest U.S. supplier. This report employs three scenarios to examine Venezuela’s potential oil production given future economic and political […]
Russia-Ukraine Crisis and Its Implications for Global Energy Markets
Summary The situation in Ukraine remains unresolved and uneasy, with potentially profound implications for geopolitics and energy markets. Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and Roubini Global Economics (RGE) see three possible scenarious developing: further Russian incursion into Eastern Ukraine (50 percent); continued destablization of Eastern and Southern Ukraine (40 percent); and de-escalation (10 percent). Oil […]
Oil Security Index: April 2014
The Oil Security Index is designed to enable policymakers and the general public to measure and compare the relative oil security of different countries around the world. When launched in October 2013, SAFE’s Oil Security Index was hailed as an essential tool for those seeking greater insight into both what constitutes oil security, and which countries are […]
Issue Brief: Crude Oil Exports
As domestic oil production continues to rise, questions are being raised about whether or not the United States should change the long-standing crude oil export ban that was enacted in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act in 1975. This SAFE Issue Brief provides historical context on the ban, as well as the latest trends in […]
Oil Security 2025: U.S. National Security Policy in an Era of Domestic Oil Abundance
The inaugural work of the Commission on Energy and Geopolitics, “Oil Security 2025: U.S. National Security Policy in an Era of Domestic Oil Abundance,” explores the potential for U.S. oil production to impact American foreign policy and national security in the coming decade and presents a series of recommendations designed to safeguard and advance U.S. […]
Oil Security Index
The Oil Security Index is an analytical tool developed by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) in partnership with Roubini Global Economics (RGE). The Index is designed to be an intuitive tool for policymakers, business leaders, and the general public to easily measure and compare the relative oil security of more than a dozen countries around […]
Oil and the Debt
Economic researchers commonly identify reduced economic growth, current account deficits, weakened national security, and environmental harm as negative consequences of U.S. oil dependence. Missed in these discussions, however, is the relationship between oil prices, U.S. oil dependence, and the U.S. federal budget. This report, commissioned by Securing America’s Future Energy, identifies oil prices and oil […]
Competition in Global Oil Markets: A Meta-Analysis and Review
The members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) control the world’s largest and most accessible petroleum resources, and have undertaken a collaborative effort to maximize their collective profits through output restrictions over the past four decades. In this academic analysis, two leading petroleum economists present an overview of the many market failures which […]
Decision Point: A Well-Supplied Global Oil Market Will Make 2013 the Year to Deal with Iran
Until recently, tight oil markets and oil dependence have dissuaded Western nations from implementing stronger measures aimed at curtailing Iran’s nuclear activities. New analysis from Securing America’s Future Energy and Roubini Global Economics shows that 2013 will present a temporary window to implement measures with the potential to deter Iran’s development of nuclear weapons without […]
A National Strategy for Energy Security (2013)
The recommendations presented in A National Strategy for Energy Security – Harnessing American Resources and Innovation are designed to achieve a fundamental necessity: safeguarding the physical and economic security of the United States by significantly reducing our dependence on oil. Today, U.S. oil dependence constrains foreign policy, limits military options, and harms economic growth and […]
Barrels at Risk
The current instability in multiple oil producing regions means that supply disruption vulnerability is particularly high. Flashpoints include Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, Nigeria, Iraq, and Libya. If as few as two supply disruptions occurred simultaneously, demand for available spare capacity would be overwhelmed. But, even the threat of a single oil disruption has the […]
Oil and the Trade Deficit
The inaugural report from the Diplomatic Council on Energy Security highlights petroleum as a crucial component in the growth of the U.S. trade deficit to a potentially unsustainable and damaging level. Despite a third-straight year of growth in domestic oil production and a first year of net petroleum product exports since 1949, the U.S. trade […]
The New American Oil Boom
For the first time in decades, the United States is experiencing a dramatic and sustained increase in domestic oil production. In The New American Oil Boom, Securing America’s Future Energy examines the benefits inherent in this growth, as well as the threats posed by oil dependence to the nation’s long-term prosperity. Between 2009 and 2011, […]
2012 Congressional Briefing Book
Securing America’s Future Energy believes the nation’s dependence on oil is one of the single greatest threats to our long-term security and prosperity. Events over the past year have again made crystal clear the serious and ongoing threats posed by our nation’s dependence on petroleum. From increasing geopolitical tensions in oil-rich regions of the world, […]
Greece’s Debt Woes: Deepening their Reliance on Iranian Oil
Summary Greece’s sovereign debt crisis has led most oil suppliers to decide that they cannot take the risk of trading with Greece. This includes Russia, historically Greece’s largest supplier. This crisis has driven Greece both to draw down its oil stocks and to massively increase its reliance on Iran. As such, Greece is now the […]
Developing North America’s Hydrocarbon Resources: Recommendations from the National Petroleum Council
Summary The National Petroleum Council (NPC) released an important report that validates the significant growth in U.S. oil and gas supplies. The NPC confirmed that new U.S. natural gas resources could supply over 100 years of demand at current consumption rates. A key subtext of the report revolves around the controversies associated with the rapid […]
Congestion in America
Road traffic congestion results in wasteful oil consumption in cities of all sizes, and severely threatens the potential future oil-saving benefits associated with more efficient vehicles and alternatives fuels. In 2010, drivers in U.S. urban areas were estimated to have wasted 1.9 billion gallons of fuel. In the absence of substantial and effective policy intervention, […]
Iran Launches 2012 Campaign to Rattle Oil Markets
Summary Iran’s recent threats to close the Strait of Hormuz have rattled oil markets and increased the risk premium attached to each traded barrel; however, this is likely just the beginning. The current flare-up follows closely on the heels of a threatened embargo on Iranian oil imports by the European Union and strengthened financial sanctions […]
Republican Presidential Primary Contenders and their Energy Policies
Summary Following a year of tumultuous energy debates and volatile oil prices, a comprehensive national energy policy has never been more urgent. This Intelligence Report details the energy platforms of all Republican Presidential Primary candidates for the conscientious policy wonk, ordered by their performance in the Iowa Caucuses. The GOP candidates are emphasizing increased domestic […]
Department of Energy Loan Guarantees in Context
Summary Government loan guarantees were designed to bridge the gap between basic technology research and venture capital that commercializes the technology. This gap, known among technologists as the “valley of death,” has been targeted twice in the past decade by policymakers from both parties, but with less than perfect results. Authorized by the Energy Policy […]
Libyan Revolution Lessons for Oil (and Gas) Security
Summary Libya has substantial challenges ahead, and the rebels’ victory is only the end of the beginning. Much more needs to be done to build a stable, democratic state. Libyan oil production is unlikely to recover until 2013, requiring the global oil market make up the losses for at least another year. If handled properly, […]
Lots of Natural Gas, but No Storage Standards
Summary Global gas production is growing rapidly. In fact, while oil production has surged more than 60 percent in the last four decades, gas production has increased by 200 percent over the same period. As this trend continues, it is critical for producers and policymakers to examine the key issues surrounding gas storage. Storing natural […]
On Jobs & Energy Security: Presidential Attention on Transportation Infrastructure
Summary With the transportation bill set to expire at the end of September, the President is making the “jobs” case for continued investments in the nation’s transportation infrastructure. He would be wise to also highlight how effective transportation policies can strengthen the nation’s energy security by reducing demand for oil. To effectively improve energy security, […]
Facts vs. Rhetoric on EPA Rule-Making
Summary The EPA rule-making process on electricity generating utilities will have an impact on businesses, consumers, and the environment, but the exact impact is difficult to quantify in advance. Players in this energy debate, from interested businesses to Members of Congress may be quick to use dramatic rhetoric on the worst-case scenario, in an effort […]
U.S. Oil Supply Post-Macondo
SAFE analysis shows security benefits of increased domestic oil production SAFE has issued original analysis examining the drivers and impacts of the recent surge in U.S. oil production. The report finds that high oil prices and innovative development techniques are combining to place substantial new resources on the table in the United States, with potentially […]
Middle East Economies and the Impact of Oil
Summary Earlier this year, revolutions and civil war in the Middle East took the world by surprise, but the problems that motivated these revolutions had been apparent for many years: an inability of the countries of the Middle East to meet the economic aspirations of their people. Oil and gas production alone is insufficient […]
Oil Savings from Proposed Fuel Economy Standards
SAFE Analysis shows that the proposed fuel economy standards could save millions of barrels of oil per day SAFE has released original analysis showing that the country could reduce its dangerous dependence on oil by millions of barrels per day through improvements in fuel economy standards. SAFE’s report examines the proposed fuel economy standards for […]
Lessons from Fukushima
Summary Even as we learn more about what happened at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan—and what is still being done to evaluate and control the damage—it is worth considering how the accident will and should affect nuclear power in the United States. U.S. nuclear power plants have been made more robust in the wake […]
Securing China’s Future Energy?
Summary China is dealing with significant energy security challenges, some of which are similar to those in the United States, and others of which are very different. Perhaps the greatest concern in China is power generation. In order to continue supporting a rapidly growing economy and job creation, the PRC’s highest priority is simply to […]
Oil Shock: Options for Policymakers
SAFE Analysis of Energy Policy Options Highlights Need for Fundamental Changes to Nation’s Energy Use SAFE has released “Oil Shock: Options for Policymakers,” a paper examining the causes and effects of oil price spikes, along with a menu of possible short- and long-term options for dealing with energy security challenges. Specifically, the paper argues that […]
Transportation Policies for America’s Future
Our transportation network exists almost in a vacuum, with virtually no connection between how it is designed, how it is funded, and how American families and businesses use it every day. The result is an inefficient system in which system needs are out of alignment with investment, cost is out of alignment with usage, and […]
Electrification Roadmap
This comprehensive report outlines a vision for a fully integrated electric drive network in the United States. The Electrification Roadmap examines the challenges facing electrification, including battery technology and cost, infrastructure financing, regulatory requirements, electric power sector interface, and consumer acceptance issues. The Roadmap provides policymakers and business leaders with a framework for overcoming these […]
A National Strategy for Energy Security (2008)
The recommendations contained within A National Strategy for Energy Security — Recommendations to the Nation on Reducing U.S. Oil Dependence are designed to counter an increasingly inescapable reality: Oil dependence poses a grave threat to America’s national security and economic strength. The Energy Security Leadership Council believes that America’s energy security can be fundamentally improved through major reductions in […]
What Would $120 Oil Mean for the Global Economy?
This report gives an overview of the broad economic effects of a scenario in which oil prices surge to $120 a barrel due to coordinated terrorist attacks on global oil transportation infrastructure. In this paper, Dr. Robert Wescott—former Chief Economist for the President’s Council of Economic Advisers—examines the effects of a significant oil price spike. […]
