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A Decarbonized U.S. by 2050 Is Probably Impossible, But Here's What It Might Look Like
realclearwire.com ^ | 9/26/2022 | Ross Pomeroy

Posted on 10/03/2022 6:02:59 AM PDT by rktman

Decarbonizing the United States by the year 2050, as many policymakers advocate and a strong majority of Americans support, would likely be the most challenging infrastructure overhaul in the history of our country. Frankly, the odds are heavily stacked against it happening.

Though many support the idea in abstract, they may not necessarily grasp what such an energy transition would entail in practice. The International Energy Agency (IEA) and researchers from Arizona State University recently spelled it out in detail. Here is a summary of what a carbon-free United States might look like in 2050:

The grid will be producing and delivering four times the electricity we use today, 70% through wind and solar, with the rest coming from other carbon-free sources like nuclear, geothermal, and hydropower. "One-third of output will go to traditional residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Another third will go to charging vehicle batteries, while the remainder will power immense fuel synthesis industries that do not exist today." We will need 150 billion gallons per year of biofuels for agriculture, mining, construction, aviation, marine transport, and the military – about ten times what is produced today. Biofuels will completely displace oil. Some biofuels could be replaced with clean hydrogen if the technology matures and scales. Railways and buses must all be electrified. Long-haul trucking will have to be conducted on electrified roads that charge trucks' batteries while driving. If not, then another ~30 billion gallons of biofuels will be needed each year. 90 - 100% of personal vehicles must be electric. Chargers must be installed at every residence. At least 50% of heating demand must be supplied by heat pumps.

How much will all of this cost?

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearwire.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: climate; climgeddon; ecowankers; gangreen
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How much will all of this cost? Doesn't matter obviously. The elites will keep chugging along while the rest of us see our standard of living reduced to sub saharan levels. In search of that magic 500 million world wide population number is gonna cost some folks some stuff. Hard to imagine there are so many people of influence that have bought into this πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’«πŸ’©. Anyone else seen the citibank ad where they claim to be ponying up a trillion dollars for chasing the sustainability unicorn? (S)elections do indeed have consequences. Scary to admit we know some folks that are just fine with the current set up.
1 posted on 10/03/2022 6:02:59 AM PDT by rktman
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To: rktman

Becoming a billionaire by 2023 is probably impossible but here is what it would look like:


2 posted on 10/03/2022 6:04:32 AM PDT by Raycpa
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To: rktman

But carbon is a naturally occurring thing in our environment. How can it be otherwise? Talking to these people must be like the way Captain Kirk talked to the Landru computer near the end of the Return of the Archons episode.


3 posted on 10/03/2022 6:07:16 AM PDT by OttawaFreeper ("The Gardens was founded by men-sportsmen-who fought for their country" Conn Smythe, 1966 )
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To: rktman
Here's what it might look like


4 posted on 10/03/2022 6:07:26 AM PDT by Pollard (Worm & GMO Free - some call us purebloods)
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To: Pollard

GMTA


5 posted on 10/03/2022 6:08:39 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (We are already in a revolutionary period, and the Rule of Law means nothing. )
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To: rktman

6 posted on 10/03/2022 6:09:30 AM PDT by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: rktman
Compared to what places like Pittsburgh looked like in the 1940s and 50s, we are already decarbonized.

All the climate lies of today are about effecting unwanted political change by attempting to scare people.
7 posted on 10/03/2022 6:09:50 AM PDT by Antoninus (Republicans are all honorable men.)
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To: rktman

It’s going to look like the trailers piled up one on top the other like in ‘Ready Player One’ and where most are obviously living off of some sort of Universal Basic Income Program spending all their time within a Meta type VR world.

Awesome sauce. /s


8 posted on 10/03/2022 6:10:06 AM PDT by cranked
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To: rktman

Watch an episode of The Flintstones.


9 posted on 10/03/2022 6:10:23 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: rktman

“The annual cost of decarbonization is at most on the order of 1% of GDP.”

Tell that to Europe this winter.


10 posted on 10/03/2022 6:10:24 AM PDT by BobL
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To: Pollard
Here's the carbon saving reality in Portland


11 posted on 10/03/2022 6:11:07 AM PDT by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Juneteenth is inequality day)
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To: rktman

Quite unfortunately, most folks have confused man-made climate change with natural climate change. The latter exists. The former does not.

This would not be such a big deal if we were allowed to debate the issue, with both sides presenting evidence in open forums. That’s the way science is supposed to work. But no debate is permitted. And anyone who tries will be cancelled. It’s all very fascist.

So back to the Dark Ages we go.


12 posted on 10/03/2022 6:12:26 AM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
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To: Antoninus

And a lot of the youngsters are skerred at this point. Science? We don’t need no steenkin’ science! Wasn’t that long ago in the scheme of things that glaciers WERE nyc, chicongo etc........... Anyone missing some glaciers? Dung fires weren’t responsible for their demise.


13 posted on 10/03/2022 6:13:21 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this? πŸ˜•)
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To: rktman

Seeing that living organisms consist of complex molecules in which carbon plays a major part, there will be no “decarbonization.”


14 posted on 10/03/2022 6:18:18 AM PDT by I want the USA back (We get 1 chance to ditch the fascist dictatorship every November. )
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To: bert

Blue is a calming, soothing color. Must be why tarps are blue.


15 posted on 10/03/2022 6:20:45 AM PDT by Pollard (Worm & GMO Free - some call us purebloods)
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To: OttawaFreeper
Re: "But carbon is a naturally occurring thing in our environment."

Carbon is also 17% of the average human body.

Almost every life form on Earth is constructed on a scaffold of carbon atoms.

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon based molecules.

16 posted on 10/03/2022 6:21:30 AM PDT by zeestephen
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To: rktman
Absurd. There won't be a United States in 2050.

Some part of what used to be the USA might be livable and free.

17 posted on 10/03/2022 6:26:00 AM PDT by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along. )
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To: Pollard

Exactly...decarbonization means devolving to 3rd world status


18 posted on 10/03/2022 6:44:26 AM PDT by goodnesswins (The Chinese are teaching calculus to their 3rd graders while ours are trying to pick a pronoun.)
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To: rktman

<>How much will all of this cost? Doesn’t matter obviously<>

Did you read the article you posted?


19 posted on 10/03/2022 6:55:07 AM PDT by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: goodnesswins

A few nukes will level the problem out nicely. Once everything is dead.


20 posted on 10/03/2022 6:56:11 AM PDT by oldasrocks
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