Skip to page content

Energy Security

Featured

Because most of the world's oil and natural gas resources are concentrated in a small number of countries, many nations have economic, social, and geopolitical concerns about energy dependence. RAND research explores options for improving energy security—e.g., the use of domestically available alternative or renewable energy sources.

Q&A

Thinking Outside the Grid: Q&A with Anu Narayanan

Mar 5, 2020

Anu Narayanan, an engineer at RAND, is a specialist in what-ifs. Her research focuses on critical infrastructure and national security. In this interview, she discusses her latest work that explores what would happen if a cyberattacker tried to take down the power grid.
Essay

The Hot Spots of the World

Oct 13, 2016

Scarcity of food, energy, and water endangers the lives of millions. So RAND created a tool with the potential to help make aid initiatives more effective.

Explore Energy Security

Report

The Nature of the Chinese-Iranian Partnership and the Challenges It Poses for the U.S.

The partnership between China and Iran presents challenges to U.S. interests, including dissuading Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability. An analysis of the factors driving Chinese-Iranian cooperation offers policy options for influencing this partnership to meet U.S. objectives.

May 2, 2012
Report

Characterizing the U.S. Industrial Base for Coal-Powered Electricity

Coal-fired electricity generating units (EGUs) provide about 46 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., yet most of the existing coal-fired electricity fleet is 25–45 years old. Can the industry maintain the capability to design, construct, and operate coal-fired EGUs within reasonable cost, schedule, performance, environmental, and quality expectations?

Oct 27, 2011
Testimony

Testimony on S. 937 The American Alternative Fuels Act of 2011: Addendum

Document submitted on June 29, 2011 as an addendum to testimony presented before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 7, 2011.

Jun 30, 2011
Testimony

Testimony on S. 937 The American Alternative Fuels Act of 2011

Testimony presented before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 7, 2011.

Jun 7, 2011
Testimony

Opportunities for Alternative Fuels Production

Testimony presented before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Energy and Power on May 5, 2011.

May 5, 2011
Report

No Direct Military Benefit from Use of Alternative Fuels by Armed Forces

If the U.S. military increases its use of alternative fuels, there will be no direct benefit to the nation's armed forces. It makes more sense for the military to direct its efforts toward using energy more efficiently.

Jan 25, 2011
Report

Natural Gas and Israel's Energy Future

Israel can make natural gas usage a bigger part of its energy portfolio without jeopardizing its security, but even more importantly, the nation needs to make conservation measures a priority in its future energy plans.

Dec 15, 2009
Report

Strengthening U.S. International Energy Assistance to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improve Energy Security

U.S. international energy-assistance programs, a potentially important tool for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security, are reviewed and compared with German programs; recommendations are made for further study.

Sep 10, 2009
Research Brief

Does Imported Oil Threaten U.S. National Security?

U.S. reliance on oil risks the economic costs of disruption in global oil supplies. The United States would reduce the national security costs of importing oil by supporting well-functioning oil markets and imposing an oil excise tax.

May 5, 2009
Report

Economic Costs of Major Oil Supply Disruption Pose Risk to U.S. National Security

While on a net basis the United States imports nearly 60 percent of the oil it consumes, this reliance on imported oil is not by itself a major national security threat. The study finds that the economic costs of a major disruption in global oil supplies—including higher prices for American consumers—pose the greatest risk to the United States.

Apr 20, 2009
Periodical

RAND Review: Vol. 32, No. 3, Fall 2008

The cover story offers 12 suggestions for the new U.S. president; other pieces discuss education and health in China and India, health policy models, the U.S. Postal Service mailbox monopoly, a green U.S. Army, and political reform in the Arab world.

Dec 14, 2008
News Release

Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Production Could Offer Major National Benefits

The federal government can spark the creation of a commercially competitive coal-to-liquids industry by fostering early development of plants that would produce transportation fuels from coal.

Dec 10, 2008
Research Brief

Assessing a Coal-to-Liquids Fuel Industry in the United States

Government actions to gain early experience in producing liquid fuels from coal offer major energy security benefits but also raise important economic governance, and environmental issues.

Nov 30, 2008
Report

Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Production Could Offer Major National Benefits

The federal government can spark the creation of a commercially competitive coal-to-liquids industry by fostering early development of plants that would produce transportation fuels from coal, as well as by expanding its investment in carbon sequestration technology to help limit, and possibly reduce, greenhouse gas emissions levels.

Nov 17, 2008
News Release

Major Progress in Technology Needed for 25 Percent Renewable Energy Use to Be Affordable

Dramatic progress in renewable energy technology is needed if the United States desires to produce 25 percent of its electricity and motor vehicle fuel from renewable sources by 2025 without significantly increasing consumer costs.

Jun 24, 2008
Commentary

Steer a Smarter Course Than Specific Mileage Goals

Published commentary by RAND staff: Steer a Smarter Course Than Specific Mileage Goals, in the Detroit Free Press.

Mar 16, 2007
Commentary

C. Asia's Great Game

Published commentary by RAND staff: C. Asia's Great Game, in United Press International.

Mar 5, 2007
Commentary

Central Asia's Other 'Turkmenbashis'

Published commentary by RAND staff: Central Asia's Other 'Turkmenbashis', in Project Syndicate--an association that distributes commentaries to 291 newspapers in 115 countries.

Jan 15, 2007
Commentary

Fueling Opportunity

Published commentary by RAND staff: Fueling Opportunity in the Washington Times.

May 19, 2006
Commentary

The Threat of Oil Jihad

Published commentary by RAND staff: The Threat of Oil Jihad, in United Press International.

Mar 3, 2006

Previous
1
2
3
4
Next

RAND Topic:
Energy Security

Topic Synonyms:
Energy Access

Research conducted by