Freedom to Compete

In this column, we’re going to discuss the freedom to compete.

Free to compete, free to choose

Because of threats to fossil fuel development and use, it’s very important for us to understand the truth about their impact on human life. Ultimately, we’re trying to promote human flourishing, not fossil fuels per se. We’re championing fossil fuels when they’re the best source of energy. And fossil fuels are at this point of history usually the best form of energy in any given situation. But they’re not the best for every situation.

For example, take somebody off the grid who’s willing to pay more for energy, and willing to use less energy. A solar installation with a lot of batteries could be a better solution because either they don’t have access to the grid or it would be inconvenient to use a diesel generator.

The best form of energy is the cheap, plentiful, reliable, and safe source of energy that consumers freely choose, when they’re given the choice among all alternatives that producers produce. This is why the freedom to compete is so important—the best form of energy can only be decided by the free choices of individuals.

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A proper energy policy, then—one that truly benefits human life—is one that allows freedom of competition. As with phones or computers, when every energy producer is free to compete, the best ideas win.

No energy favoritism

The good forms of energy don’t need favoritism—special subsidies, protections, loans from the government. They need the freedom to compete and the freedom to improve—without interference, but also without special privileges.

The freedom to compete means that no energy gets special privileges. Every form of energy is free to compete for consumers’ dollars, as long as it doesn’t violate the rights of others—and as long as it doesn’t fail the endangerment test.

If we allow the freedom to compete then this will lead to the most energy for the most people.

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