Energy is the lifeblood of our economy and impacts almost every facet of our lives. When government policies restrict the supply of reliable and affordable energy, this drives up prices for Americans, with a disproportionate impact on the poor, and drives up costs across industries. 

In recent years, especially under the Biden administration, there has been an unprecedented attack on the supply of reliable and affordable energy, from reducing oil and gas lease sales to the administration’s efforts to shift from reliable electricity sources to renewable energy sources.  The partisan Inflation Reduction Act is a central piece of the harmful electrification effort that will undermine the electricity grid. If all of this was not bad enough, there are also governmental efforts to limit Americans from using reliable and affordable energy, such as efforts to severely limit the availability of gas-powered vehicles and bans on natural gas appliances.

Ensuring abundant, reliable, and affordable energy is a must, as is consumer freedom when it comes to energy. The Competitive Enterprise Institute advocates for policies to keep energy abundant, affordable, and competitive. Carbon fuels—coal, natural gas, and oil—provide about 80 percent of U.S. and global energy. They are the world’s dominant energy sources because, in most markets, they beat the alternatives in both cost and performance.

CEI is leading efforts to defend the personal energy choices of Americans. We advocate for policies that will stop government at all levels from banning or restricting what good and services Americans can choose to best meet their needs.

For decades, CEI has opposed regulatory overreach from the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies that put undue costs on energy industries and consumers. These include President Biden’s new power plant rule, the “Blackout Plan,” which would ignore the major questions problems detailed in West Virginia v. EPA, increase consumer electricity prices, and threaten grid reliability. CEI’s research and policy proposals have been instrumental on energy issues.

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Sam Kazman

Counsel Emeritus

  • Antitrust
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Paige Lambermont

Research Fellow

  • Capitalism and Free Enterprise
  • Energy
  • Energy and Environment

Marlo Lewis, Jr.

Senior Fellow

  • Climate
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Ben Lieberman

Senior Fellow

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Patricia Patnode

Research Fellow

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Fred L. Smith, Jr.

Founder; Chairman Emeritus

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