WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) – During his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Chris Wright, who has been selected by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Energy Department, stated that his top priority is to boost domestic energy production, including liquefied natural gas and nuclear energy.

The 60-year-old Wright argues that fossil fuels are essential to eliminating global poverty, which he sees as a more pressing issue than the “distant” threat posed by climate change, as outlined in a report he authored while serving as CEO of Liberty Energy.

The hearing faced several interruptions from protesters, with at least one person vocally criticizing the impact of fossil fuels on climate change, particularly regarding the devastating fires occurring in Los Angeles.

While Wright supports certain alternatives to fossil fuels, such as small nuclear reactors and geothermal energy—both of which are not commercially available yet—he has taken a stance against solar and wind energy, deeming them inadequate.

“Previous administrations have viewed energy as a liability instead of recognizing it as the immense national asset that it truly is,” Wright told the Senate energy committee.

“In order to compete on a global scale, we need to boost energy production, including commercial nuclear energy and liquefied natural gas, while simultaneously lowering energy costs for American citizens.”

In 2023, U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas, which is a chilled form of natural gas suitable for export, reached an all-time high due to the shale boom. The U.S. currently outpaces all other countries in oil and gas production.

Wright, an engineer with a background in fusion energy, is anticipated to secure the support of the Republican-controlled 100-member Senate and plans to depart from his role at Liberty upon confirmation.

Wright would be succeeding Jennifer Granholm, who had expressed concerns over issuing new permits for LNG exports, arguing that unrestricted exports could heighten greenhouse gas emissions tied to climate change and potentially drive up fuel costs for both manufacturers and homeowners.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, the chief Democrat on the committee from New Mexico, a state involved in fossil fuel production, indicated after a recent meeting with Wright that they both agree the Energy Department “needs to facilitate the expansion of regional transmission infrastructure in response to our nation’s surging demand for clean energy.”

Heinrich noted that nearly $500 billion has been invested in clean energy by companies following the passage of recent legislation, including President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, and emphasized to Wright that the initiatives outlined in these laws should remain intact to safeguard clean energy and associated job opportunities.

Wright is expected to collaborate on a new energy council with Doug Burgum, who is Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Interior.

Wright emphasized the necessity of removing obstacles to energy progress. Trump, a Republican set to take office on Monday, might declare a national energy emergency, which would enable him to expedite permits for new energy infrastructure and projects.

This approach aligns with Trump’s objective to increase energy production as U.S. power demand rises for the first time in decades and to counter President Joe Biden’s hold on LNG export approvals.

While Biden enacted a significant climate change law with substantial funding for alternative energy initiatives, Congress has not yet managed to pass a permitting bill crucial for the transmission infrastructure required to transport large quantities of power generated from advanced renewable sources and new nuclear reactors.