Decarbonize energy: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "How to produce enough energy (for the world) without burning fossil fuels? ==Energy sources== * Scale up solar power, with energy storage * Scale up wind power, with energy storage * Scale up nuclear power ==Vehicles== No matter the energy source, gasoline cars and diesel trucks would need to be replaced with electric vehicles and/or hydrogen vehicles. So in any case, energy storage is needed. ==Analysis== * How much electricity w...") |
No edit summary |
||
(6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
==Energy sources== | ==Energy sources== | ||
* Scale up | * '''[[Scale up solar power]]''', with [[energy storage]] - {{light|Requires innovations}} | ||
* Scale up | * '''[[Scale up wind power]]''', with [[hydrogen gas|energy storage]] - {{light|Not enough on its own}} | ||
* Scale up [[ | * '''[[Scale up nuclear power]]''' - {{light|Requires innovations}} | ||
<tab name="Note about other energy sources" style="margin-left:1em;font-size:84%" collapsed> | |||
* '''[[Geothermal electricity]]''', and '''[[hydropower]]''' including '''tidal:''' These depend on very specific geography that isn't available in most parts of the world. | |||
* '''[[Biomass waste]] energy:''' Supply is limited to the amount of farmed [[land]] on Earth, which can't be increased much without [[deforestation]]. | |||
</tab> | |||
==Vehicles== | ==Vehicles== | ||
* [[EVs]] with '''[[sodium-ion batteries]]''' | |||
* '''[[Hydrogen combustion vehicles]]''' - {{light|using [[hydrogen gas]] produced by surplus [[wind power]]}} | |||
<tab name="Note about other vehicle types" style="margin-left:1em;font-size:84%" collapsed> | |||
'''Things that ''won't'' work''' | |||
* The status quo (mostly gasoline cars and diesel trucks) | |||
* EVs with [[lithium-ion batteries]] (too much '''cobalt''') {{x|This is true even when manufacturers brag about batteries having "only" 3% cobalt. Not low enough: It would have to be less than 1% - otherwise, cobalt scarcity is still the most limiting factor in scaling up EVs. See page on [[lithium-ion batteries]] for more details.}} | |||
* Hydrogen [[fuel cell vehicles]] (too much '''platinum''' or '''palladium''') {{x|Note that hydrogen gas ''production'' also needs these metals, but the fuel cells would need [[hydrogen gas#Platinum-group metals|7 times more]] on average}} | |||
'''Things that could ''somewhat'' work''' | |||
* EVs with [[LFP batteries]] (no cobalt, lithium-based; still not as scalable as sodium-ion) | |||
</tab> | |||
==Analysis== | ==Analysis== | ||
* [[How much electricity would it take]] | * [[How much electricity would it take]] | ||
==See also== | |||
* [[Energy supply solutions summary]] <!-- TALK: Is this redundant tho? --> |
Latest revision as of 15:52, 1 March 2024
How to produce enough energy (for the world) without burning fossil fuels?
Energy sources
- Scale up solar power, with energy storage - Requires innovations
- Scale up wind power, with energy storage - Not enough on its own
- Scale up nuclear power - Requires innovations
- Geothermal electricity, and hydropower including tidal: These depend on very specific geography that isn't available in most parts of the world.
- Biomass waste energy: Supply is limited to the amount of farmed land on Earth, which can't be increased much without deforestation.
Vehicles
- EVs with sodium-ion batteries
- Hydrogen combustion vehicles - using hydrogen gas produced by surplus wind power
Things that won't work
- The status quo (mostly gasoline cars and diesel trucks)
- EVs with lithium-ion batteries (too much cobalt)
(...)( This is true even when manufacturers brag about batteries having "only" 3% cobalt. Not low enough: It would have to be less than 1% - otherwise, cobalt scarcity is still the most limiting factor in scaling up EVs. See page on lithium-ion batteries for more details. ) - Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (too much platinum or palladium)
(...)( Note that hydrogen gas production also needs these metals, but the fuel cells would need 7 times more on average )
Things that could somewhat work
- EVs with LFP batteries (no cobalt, lithium-based; still not as scalable as sodium-ion)