Granholm: ‘We Should Be Doing the Same’ on Clean Energy as European Nations That Are ‘Much More Reliant’ on Russia

On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “New Day,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said European nations that are “much more reliant upon Russia for natural gas and for oil,” are “doubling down” on becoming energy independent through green energy, “and we should be doing the same.”

Co-host Brianna Keilar asked, “[W]e’ve seen these reports, the administration’s reaching out to Saudi Arabia and to Venezuela. I think folks that many Americans might consider unsavory characters, in this search for energy, to kind of fill this Russian energy void. How should Americans view this?”

Granholm responded, “I think Americans should see the administration calling right now for an increase in supply as something that helps them. And that’s what — it’s increased supply at home and increased supply around the world so that we can reduce the cost at the pump. But ultimately, the administration’s goal is not to have us be so reliant on volatile sources of energy like fossil fuels. Ultimately, medium and long-term, this is why the president has a goal of getting to 100% clean electricity and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and that’s a transition. But we’ve got to invest in that, so that, as a nation — and this is what our European allies are doing, too, they’re much more reliant upon Russia for natural gas and for oil, and they are really doubling down on becoming independent by going — by using clean energy sources, and we should be doing the same.”

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