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Robert Bryce (born 1960) is an American author, film producer, and public speaker who lives in
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
. His articles on energy, politics, and other topics have appeared in numerous publications, including ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'', ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'', ''Real Clear Energy'', ''
CounterPunch ''CounterPunch'' is a left-wing online magazine. Content includes a free section published five days a week as well as a subscriber-only area called CounterPunch+, where original articles are published weekly. ''CounterPunch'' is based in the Un ...
'' and ''
National Review ''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief is Rich L ...
''. He is also the author of six books.


Career

Bryce has been writing about the energy business for three decades. He spent twelve years writing for ''
The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogra ...
''. From 2006 to 2010, he was the managing editor of the online magazine Energy Tribune. From October 2007 to February 2008 he was a fellow at the
Institute for Energy Research The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a Washington, D.C.–based non-profit organization that "conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets." IER maintains that the ...
, an organization founded by
Charles Koch Charles de Ganahl Koch ( ; born November 1, 1935) is an American billionaire businessman and engineer. As of May 2025, he is ranked as the 22nd richest man in the world on the '' Bloomberg Billionaires Index'', with an estimated net worth of US ...
and funded by the
fossil fuel A fossil fuel is a flammable carbon compound- or hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the buried remains of prehistoric organisms (animals, plants or microplanktons), a process that occurs within geolog ...
industry. From 2010 to 2019 he was a Senior Fellow at the
Manhattan Institute The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research (renamed in 1981 from the International Center for Economic Policy Studies) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservative think tank focused on domestic policy and urban affairs.R. Emmett Tyrrell, ...
, a
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
think tank A think tank, or public policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governme ...
. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', '' The Hill'', and ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''. Bryce has also appeared multiple media outlets ranging from
Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
to
al-Jazeera Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN; , ) is a private-media conglomerate headquartered in Wadi Al Sail, Doha, funded in part by the government of Qatar. The network's flagship channels include Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English, which pr ...
. Bryce is the executive producer of the 2019 feature-length documentary film ''Juice: How Electricity Explains the World'',, He is also the co-producer of the five-part docuseries ''Juice: Power, Politics & The Grid'', which has been viewed more than three million times on YouTube. Bryce has testified before the U.S. Congress seven times, and his books and articles have been translated into six languages.


Other works


Writing on the energy industry and species protection

Bryce has written frequently about what he considers the infeasibility of the United States becoming energy independent. In March 2009, he testified before the
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and mineral resources, including nuclear development; irrigation and recl ...
, saying "no matter how you do the calculations, renewable energy by itself, can not, will not, be able to replace hydrocarbons over the next two to three decades, and that's a conservative estimate". In an
opinion piece An opinion piece is an article, usually published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about a subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals. Editorials Opinion pieces may take the form of an editorial, ...
the ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' in March 2009 he denounced the energy policies of former United States President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
and then-president
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
, claiming their rush for
renewable energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
will not be sufficient to cover the country's future energy needs. Bryce has criticized special exceptions to wildlife protection laws given to renewable energy facilities in the United States, claiming that oil producers and electric utilities have repeatedly been charged and fined under the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA), codified at (although §709 is omitted), is a United States federal law, first enacted in 1918 to implement the convention for the protection of migratory birds between the United States and Canada. ...
for killing birds but wind-power companies are not. In June 2010, in an article for ''Slate'' he expressed dismay at the
corn ethanol Corn ethanol is ethanol produced from corn biomass and is the main source of ethanol fuel in the United States, mandated to be blended with gasoline in the Renewable Fuel Standard. Corn ethanol is produced by ethanol fermentation and distill ...
industry's attempts to use the blowout of the
Macondo well The Macondo Prospect (Mississippi Canyon Block 252, abbreviated MC252) is an oil and gas prospect in the United States Exclusive Economic Zone of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana. The prospect was the site of the ''Deepwater Horiz ...
in the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
as an basis to pursue more subsidies. Bryce is an advocate for increased
shale gas Shale gas is an unconventional natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. Since the 1990s, a combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has made large volumes of shale gas more economical to produce, and ...
consumption in the US. In a June 13, 2011 piece published in the ''
Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' he posited that the "shale revolution now underway is the best news for North American energy since the discovery of the East Texas Field in 1930." Bryce opposes federal corn subsidies for ethanol, citing high costs. He has argued that
electric vehicle An electric vehicle (EV) is a motor vehicle whose propulsion is powered fully or mostly by electricity. EVs encompass a wide range of transportation modes, including road vehicle, road and rail vehicles, electric boats and Submersible, submer ...
s have failed to date due to the lack of energy density in batteries, safety concerns, and relatively few sales.


N2N

In 2013, Bryce argued that renewable energy remains unready to meet real-world energy needs at a scale that can save the climate., and favors "N2N" (
natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
to
nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space *Nuclear ...
), as the logical way forward for energy policy and insurance against the potential risk of climate change.


Carbon capture and sequestration

In May 2010, he published an
op-ed An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page," is a type of written prose commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. They usually represent a writer's strong and focused opinion on an issue of relevance to a targeted a ...
in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' that underscored the difficulties associated with large-scale
carbon capture and sequestration Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process by which carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial installations is separated before it is released into the atmosphere, then transported to a long-term storage location.IPCC, 2021Annex VII: Glossary at ...
. In 2013 he extended this line of argument in ''National Review Online''


Writings on politics and current events


George W. Bush

In 1993, Bryce wrote a piece for the ''
Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper b ...
'' about George W. Bush's jump into the Texas gubernatorial race arguing that Bush would "pose a formidable challenge" to then Democratic Governor
Ann Richards Dorothy Ann Richards (née Willis; September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, she first came to national attention as the Texas State Treasurer, ...
. Bryce also referred to
Karl Rove Karl Christian Rove (born December 25, 1950) is an American Republican political consultant, policy advisor, and lobbyist. He was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush administration until his resignation on August ...
a "savvy political consultant." Bryce predicted that Bush would win the White House in a 1999 piece for ''
The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogra ...
'', and was the first journalist to report on how Bush's ownership of the Texas Rangers would become a financial asset. Bryce also analyzed how Bush and his partners used the power of
eminent domain Eminent domain, also known as land acquisition, compulsory purchase, resumption, resumption/compulsory acquisition, or expropriation, is the compulsory acquisition of private property for public use. It does not include the power to take and t ...
to profit off of land they did not own.


"I am Sullied-No More"

In 2007, Bryce featured 44-year-old Colonel Theodore S. Westhusing's suicide note in an article for the ''
Texas Observer ''The Texas Observer'' (also known as the ''Observer'') is an American magazine with a liberal political outlook. The ''Observer'' is published bimonthly by a 501(c)(3)

Funeral industry

In 1999, Bryce wrote about corruption in the funeral industry, reporting on how Robert Waltrip, CEO of the world's largest death-care company,
Service Corporation International Service Corporation International is an American provider of funeral goods and services as well as cemetery property and services. It is headquartered in Neartown, Houston, Texas, and operates secondary corporate offices in Jefferson, Louisia ...
, "used the exasgovernor's office and a state senator in an effort to crush an investigation into S.C.I.'s operations."


V-22 Tiltrotor

Bryce has been an outspoken critic of the troubled
V-22 The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-use, tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionalit ...
tiltrotor A tiltrotor is an aircraft that generates lift (force), lift and thrust, propulsion by way of one or more powered Helicopter rotor, rotors (sometimes called ''proprotors'') mounted on rotating shaft (mechanical engineering), shafts or nacelles ...
, or Osprey, aircraft for its safety and cost record.


Published books

* *
''Power Hungry: The Myths of "Green" Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future''
published 2010 by PublicAffairs,
''Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence''
published by PublicAffairs 2008,
''Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the rise of Texas, America's Superstate''
published by PublicAffairs in 2004, .
''Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron''
published by PublicAffairs in 2002, .


References


External links

*
Robert Bryce on Sourcewatch
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bryce, Robert American male journalists American non-fiction environmental writers Writers from Austin, Texas Living people Manhattan Institute for Policy Research 1960 births