The Eternal 'Energy Crisis' and the AI Greenwash
FIRST INSTANCE: The 'Energy Crisis' of the 1970s In the 1970s, amidst the Arab oil embargoes, the 'energy crisis' was framed as a national security imperative requiring immediate and long-term fossil fuel extraction. Policy moved swiftly to deregulate domestic oil prices and promote coal, then natural gas, as essential for economic stability. Energy companies leveraged public fear to secure
massive subsidies and expanded drilling permits, often sidelining environmental concerns (e.g., Alaska Pipeline Authorization, 1973). REPETITIONS: 'Clean Coal' and 'Bridge Fuel' Narratives (2000s-2010s) By the early 2000s, as climate science gained traction, the industry adapted. We saw the rise of 'clean coal' initiatives, heavily promoted by groups like the American Coalition for Clean Coal
Electricity (2008), which promised technological solutions without disrupting fossil fuel use. Simultaneously, natural gas was widely promoted as a 'bridge fuel,' a supposedly less carbon-intensive alternative to coal that would ease the transition to renewables. This delayed significant investment in truly clean alternatives, extending fossil fuel infrastructure for decades under the guise of
progress (e.g., numerous liquified natural gas export terminal approvals, 2010s onward). OUTCOMES: Continued Emissions and Entrenched Interests Each iteration resulted in expanded fossil fuel infrastructure, increased emissions, and record profits for energy companies. The 'clean coal' promises largely failed to materialize at scale, and the 'bridge fuel' became a destination, locking countries