Nominated by Trump

Automatically saved draft

(Bild: APA/AP)

Following his victory in the US presidential election, Donald Trump has now also announced his choice for the future Secretary of Energy. According to a statement on Saturday, fracking entrepreneur and climate change sceptic Chris Wright from Colorado will take office when Trump replaces incumbent Joe Biden in January.

The head and founder of oil service provider Liberty Energy should cut red tape in order to boost investment in fossil fuels, Trump explained. If the Senate follows his proposal, Wright would probably initiate a turnaround in US climate policy towards fossil fuels.

Wright denies that there is a climate crisis
"There is no climate crisis, and we are not in a transition when it comes to energy," Wright said in a video on LinkedIn last year. He caused a stir in 2019 when he drank fracking fluid on camera to demonstrate the harmlessness he postulated. He has compared the Democrats' fight against global warming to Soviet communism.

What is fracking?

Fracking involves using chemicals and pressure to extract natural gas contained in layers of earth. The method has been used intensively in the USA for many years, which has led to a massive increase in gas extraction there. This process is highly controversial due to the high environmental risks.

Wright is also to become a member of the newly created National Energy Council, as Trump announced. According to US reports, he has been proposed by influential conservatives, including oil and gas magnate Harold Hamm, to head the Department of Energy. The Energy Council is to coordinate all aspects of energy production and use in the USA and promote the goal of "energy dominance".

Trump has already caused a stir with some outstanding appointments. Ministerial posts usually have to be confirmed by the Senate. Several Republicans in the chamber have already made it known that they have some questions for the nominees. However, Trump is putting pressure on his party colleagues in the Senate to circumvent the complex confirmation procedure by means of an exemption.

Energy Secretary also oversees nuclear weapons
In the USA, the Department of Energy is responsible for the country's energy policy in relation to foreign countries, manages the strategic petroleum reserve and operates production and loan programs. The Secretary also oversees nuclear weapons, is responsible for the disposal of nuclear waste and operates 17 laboratories.

The country's oil production already reached a record under Joe Biden. It is uncertain whether this could be increased under Trump. Driven by artificial intelligence, e-vehicles and cryptocurrencies, electricity consumption in the USA is rising for the first time in two decades.