Our country runs on energy. Our homes, our military bases, and our emergency services all need power from our grid to function. But when the United States is reliant on foreign countries for energy, we give some control over our economy, grid and, ultimately, our safety, to other nations — which is why energy security is necessary for national security.

When we depend on imported energy, it leaves us vulnerable to factors outside our control. Our country’s electricity and preparedness cannot be reliant on another country’s energy exports — or the whims of their geopolitics. Right now, hostile action from our adversaries, like Russia and China, causes uncertainty, price volatility, and concerns over energy availability. When we depend on these adversaries for power rather than reliable, domestic energy, it makes our ability to keep the lights on and protect American interests increasingly fragile.

In the last four years, the world has only gotten more dangerous and unstable. That’s why it is so vital that we make American energy independence our top priority. Our current leaders have started to course correct so that, by advancing energy independence through expansion of domestically -produced energy sources, our energy policy protects our national security. But one industry still stands out in terms of its potential to generate domestic energy while bolstering our electric grid: offshore wind.

Offshore wind is the only energy source capable of producing variable baseload power, meaning it can supply our grid with the minimum amount of power needed year-round while also increasing production capacity in the winter, when winds are stronger. Its average annual capacity factor is roughly equal to efficient gas-fired power plants and regional coal-fired plants, and it even exceeds the capacity factors of onshore wind and solar energy. No other renewable energy can generate so much power while also increasing its output capacity during the most dangerous seasonal spikes in electricity demand.

The United States is unrivaled in its wealth of natural resources, and we lead the world in both crude oil and natural gas production. But right now, one of our most powerful resources is largely sitting idly by. Our coasts have massive potential for offshore wind energy, and if we fully support the development of domestically produced offshore wind, we could generate three times the amount of energy we need to power homes and businesses across the country every year.

That becomes even more important when you consider how much electricity we’re using — and how much demand is set to increase. After decades of remaining stable, our energy demand is expected to grow 15-20% in the next decade. With artificial intelligence rapidly developing and the need for our businesses, manufacturers and innovators to stay competitive with the rest of the world, there is no way around our need for more electricity.

Our grid cannot meet this demand right now. The North American Electric Reliability Corp. predicts that large portions of the country will be at elevated risks of blackouts in just five to 10 years. Blackouts can be devastating for households, particularly during extreme weather conditions, but the possibility of our emergency services losing power would be a national crisis. For us to be truly secure, our hospitals, first responders and military installations must be online 24/7; just one hour of power failure could threaten countless American lives.

Our national security depends on our ability to harness domestically sourced energy. Whether it’s under our plains or off our coasts, the key to our energy emergency is here at home. As a local, reliable source of energy, offshore wind has a critical part to play in our all-of-the-above energy policy. By growing offshore wind, the Trump administration can set America on a path to true energy independence.

Paul Eaton, a retired U.S. Army major general, served more than 30 years, including combat and post-combat assignments in Iraq, Bosnia and Somalia. He was assigned to Iraq from 2003 to 2004 as commanding general of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, where he designed, manned, trained and equipped the Iraqi armed forces for the Iraqi Ministry of Defense and the security forces for the Interior Ministry. Prior to that assignment, he commanded the Army’s Infantry Center and was Chief of Infantry for the Army. He is the Chair of the Board for Vet Voice Foundation.