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America’s dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year since President Obama took office. In 2010, we imported less than 50 percent of the oil our nation consumed—the first time that’s happened in 13 years—and the trend continued in 2011. | Image courtesy of the White House.

America’s dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year since President Obama took office. In 2010, we imported less than 50 percent of the oil our nation consumed—the first time that’s happened in 13 years—and the trend continued in 2011. | Image courtesy of the White House.

Subtopics 
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Our Dependence on Foreign Oil Is Declining
Image courtesy of whitehouse.gov

America’s dependence on foreign oil has gone down every single year since President Obama took office. In 2010, we imported less than 50 percent of the oil our nation consumed—the first time that’s happened in 13 years—and the trend continued in 2011.

Carbon Capture Innovation: Making an IMPACCT on Coal
The ICES team from Alliant Techsystems and ACENT Laboratories (L to R): Fred Gregory, Andy Robertson, Tony Castrogiovanni, Florin Girlea, Vincenzo Verrelli, Bon Calayag, Vladimir Balepin, Kirk Featherstone. | Courtesy of the ICES team.

As the largest domestically-produced source of energy here in the U.S., coal is used to generate about half of our nation’s electricity. So how can we make traditional energy sources like coal cleaner and safer for all Americans?

Producing Natural Gas From Shale
The Office of Fossil Energy sponsored early research that refined more cost-effective and innovative production technologies for U.S. shale gas production -- such as directional drilling. By 2035, EIA projects that shale gas production will rise to 13.6 trillion cubic feet, representing nearly half of all U.S. natural gas production. | Image courtesy of the Office of Fossil Energy.

By 2035, EIA projects that shale gas production will rise to 13.6 trillion cubic feet. When you consider that 1 tcf of natural gas is enough to heat 15 million homes for one year, the importance of this resource to the nation becomes obvious.