Nick Loris, Executive Vice President for Policy at C3 Solutions, has spent his career analyzing energy and environmental policies through a market-driven lens. He was a Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at the Heritage Foundation, and serves on the policy advisory boards of Conserve America and the American Conservation Coalition. His career has been to advocate for policies that promote economic growth and foster environmental stewardship.
In Loris’ view, businesses and individuals already have incentives to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and cut costs, often in ways that benefit the environment. “Rather than thinking about how the government should mandate these things or force people into certain energy technologies or energy choices, we need to liberate the market so that when there is this inherent natural incentive to save money, invest in new, innovative technologies that will boost productivity, grow the economy, but also reduce waste and pollution,” he says.
One of Loris’s concerns is the tendency of policymakers to focus on single metrics, such as carbon emissions, to drive regulations. “Too often, policymakers and regulators look at a proposed project through this kind of siloed lens of, ‘okay, we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.’ And as well-intentioned as that may be, it doesn’t take into account the whole host of considerations and unintended consequences of those policies,” he says. He cites examples like hydroelectric power, which has both environmental trade-offs and benefits, and warns that regulations often ignore such complexities.
Loris critiques government intervention in energy markets, pointing to past policies that have produced unintended negative consequences. He points to the example of fuel economy mandates dating back to the 70s. “The government thought we were running out of oil and mandated better miles per gallon, but what you saw was when you do have more efficiency in your vehicles, people drive more because they realize they’re getting more miles per gallon,” he says.
He also points to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandated more ethanol in the fuel supply under the assumption it would be cleaner and reduce dependence on foreign oil. “Now we have all of this evidence that shows that it’s more expensive, it’s not as energy-dense, it’s actually bad for the environment, and it has increased the price of a lot of crops,” he says.
One of the biggest obstacles to progress in the energy sector, according to Loris, is the bureaucratic red tape surrounding permitting processes. He describes how the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) has become a tool for interest groups to delay and block projects through endless litigation. “Permitting reform now and fixing one of these bedrock environmental laws would actually help clean energy projects more than it would conventional energy projects like coal, oil, and natural gas,” he says. However, efforts to streamline these processes face resistance from entrenched interests.
Loris also opposes most subsidies and government efforts to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. “The more the government distorts those decisions through subsidies or regulations or mandates, it reduces the opportunity for some of those innovative technologies to truly shine,” he says.
He believes markets should determine which energy technologies succeed, rather than government favoritism. “You have a heterogeneous consumer base—some people want to buy more expensive, emissions-free power, and they should be able to do so. Others prioritize affordability, and the market should meet all of those demands more cost-effectively than the government can.”
Loris is emphatic that nuclear energy must be part of any climate policy discussion. “You’re unserious if nuclear isn’t part of the conversation,” he says, pointing out that it is one of the safest and most efficient energy sources available.
However, he acknowledges that excessive regulation has made it difficult to build new nuclear plants in the U.S. “We used to build nuclear power plants on time and at cost, but now they come in far over cost and are really delayed in getting online–meanwhile, China and Russia are building them at a rapid clip,” he says.
He sees promise in small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer a way to bring nuclear power to communities with minimal environmental impact, but he argues that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s sluggish permitting process is stifling innovation.
Loris argues that America’s energy dominance has been an economic and environmental success. “We are the world’s energy superpower. We’re also leading the world in reducing emissions because of the fracking revolution,” he says.
He believes that by exporting American ideas and policies that promote economic freedom, the U.S. can help drive global progress in energy and environmental sustainability.
“If we can empower consumers and businesses to lead the way, we can be at the forefront of energy affordability and reliability, while also fostering the new innovative technologies that will meet future energy demands,” he says. For Loris, the key is reducing government barriers and allowing the best solutions to emerge naturally through competition and innovation.
