Quote:
Originally Posted by milomilo
It's not a question of whether we can do this. We have to figure it out, as our survival (in a way resembling our current way of life) depends on it.
It's not there yet, but there's very little that can't be run on electricity if we have enough of it. Planes are one, but if we can get to the point where clean electricity is cheap enough, then creating synthetic fuel or using direct air capture of CO2 is possible. And if it means jet fuel is more expensive, even significantly, that's not the end of the world. People have only had cheap access to air travel for a few decades, it's a worthwhile cost.
Easiest way to get to the point where we can do what we want to do cheaply, without making CO2, is encourage the private sector to find out how. With carbon pricing.
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I agree... we completely have the ability to run the entire globe on "renewable" energy right now.... but it is completely unrealistic and not dependable. Coal or Nat gas fire plants still have to run, releasing CO2 even when renewables are providing energy to the grid... but its not necessarily just CO2 that is the concern, it is the overall environment damage that goes with green energy. All the inputs required to develop windfarms and solar panels are quite detrimental to the environment, at times even moreso than FF fired plants. There is still a significant CO2 output that goes into making solar panels and windmills, with a very short lifespan compared to FF fired plants. There is quite a damaging environmental footprint that goes into implementing green energy, all while still completely dependent on FF energy... so the question may be, why not continue to enhance the efficiency of FF, instead of dumping billions into "green energy", all while still 100% dependent on FF? Therefore the billions spent on "green energy" is almost wasted, so spend the billions in enhancing efficiencies in FF, as society is so dependent on the reliable energy source.
Perhaps its not a question of converting to "green" energy, rather continuing to enhance the efficiency and carbon footprint of FF's. These enhancements have already made leaps in efficiency even in the last 5 years, with billions of dollars spent, largely by the private sector, to make those enhancements.. is it a carbon tax that drove those enhancements, or is it the fact that we are in a "climate emergency". And in the end, does it really even matter?... I agree with you, it is price that will ultimately convert people from using ICE vehicles to electric vehicles, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is a healthy switch, with respect to the environment. I think it is a complete waste if the goal is to switch to "green energy", because the "green energy" is not actually "green", as society will 100% continue to be dependant on FF's, if what is presented in that documentary is correct.
There is SO much information out there of the steps made by Canadian energy companies that have made huge investments and proven technologies that tangibly reduces Canadian carbon footprint, for a source of energy that society will always demand. Why would people want to abandon such ingenuity and enhancements to opt for a technology that still completely relies on the technology it is supposed to replace?
Long winded, I know...