--- title: Energy Independence: U.S. Could Become Net Exporter by 2026 description: The U.S. could become a net energy exporter by 2026 as crude oil and natural gas production continues to increase in the country canonical: https://time.com/4624001/energy-independent-crude-oil/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-05T19:04:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:54:47.257Z article:section: Science og:title: U.S. Could Become 'Energy Independent' by 2026, Report Finds og:description: Politicians have invoked the term as a goal for U.S. energy policy decades og:url: https://time.com/4624001/energy-independent-crude-oil/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blted3ba2436853b52e/6988b47f428a9ef8cbcd562f/energy-independence-oil.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4800 og:image:height: 2700 og:image:alt: energy independence oil og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: U.S. Could Become 'Energy Independent' by 2026, Report Finds twitter:description: Politicians have invoked the term as a goal for U.S. energy policy decades twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blted3ba2436853b52e/6988b47f428a9ef8cbcd562f/energy-independence-oil.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # U.S. Could Become 'Energy Independent' by 2026, Report Finds > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change [Watch (HLS stream): A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/U3bhooK6.m3u8) (2:27)  _Published 2016-11-15. Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated that environmentalism is not his priority. Now, Climate scientists, policymakers and diplomats are questioning how his presidency will shape the future of climate change policy._  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jan 5, 2017 7:04 PM UTC  Oil derricks at the Chevron Oil Field in Bakersfield, California on Nov. 21, 2016. Oil derricks at the Chevron Oil Field in Bakersfield, California on Nov. 21, 2016. Frederic J. Brown—AFP/Getty Images  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Jan 5, 2017 7:04 PM UTC The U.S. could become a net energy exporter by 2026 as crude oil and natural gas production continues to increase in the country, according to a new report. The landmark achievement—often referred to as “energy independence” by politicians—means the U.S. would export more energy resources like crude oil than it imports. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) [report](http://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/) evaluates a number of factors that might affect the U.S. energy industry including the pace of technological growth, the level of economic growth and oil and gas prices. In some cases, like fast-paced technology development, net exports would grow dramatically. In other cases, like low oil prices, net imports would expand. The reference case, which assumes current regulations remain intact and trends continue, shows the U.S. exporting slightly more energy than it imports. “Yes, the U.S. could be completely, I think the phrase used at one time was energy independent,” said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski in a press conference announcing the report. The surge in U.S. energy production is largely due to increased access to U.S. oil and gas reserves thanks to new technology like fracking that has made previously inaccessible areas relatively easy to develop. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have long-hailed “energy independence”—[including](https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/energy) President-elect Donald Trump—as a key aim of a strong energy policy. But economists and policymakers have debated the value of the term arguing that relying solely on U.S. energy resources would be unwise. Instead, some experts argue that the country pursue policies that ensure energy security. The report, an outlook for the entire energy sector looking forward to 2050, shows a massive decrease in electricity from coal-fired power plants even if Trump undoes the Clean Power Plan, the policy created by President Obama to discourage the use of coal-fired power plants. 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