Draft:Solutions summary 1: Difference between revisions

From the change wiki
(Removed pipes from wikilinks that dont work with <pre />)
(Trying new indentation for emphasis)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
<pre class="levels">
<pre class="levels">
Most of the world's energy today comes from fossil fuels. To change this, the following tech is needed:
  Most of the world's energy today comes from fossil fuels.
Energy storage, especially
To really phase out all fossil fuel energy, the following tech is needed:
  Sodium-ion batteries
  Energy storage, especially...
      Reason: Because lithium-ion is too mineral-intensive to scale up.
Sodium-ion batteries
  To be used for mid-range electric vehicles and smoothing out the day-night cycle of solar panels.
    Reason: Because lithium-ion is too mineral-intensive to scale up.
  They don't even have to be as energy dense as lithium-ion.
To be used for mid-range electric vehicles and smoothing out the day-night cycle of solar panels.
Energy sources - some combination of
They don't even have to be as energy dense as lithium-ion.
  Solar panels without scarce minerals
 
      Reason: Most of today's solar panels on the market are too mineral-intensive to scale up.
    Energy sources - some combination of
  To be installed on as many rooftops as possible.
Solar panels without scarce minerals
      This could provide enough "general-purpose" electricity for homes, buildings and EVs, but not enough for heating in cold parts of the world.
    Reason: Most of today's solar panels on the market are too mineral-intensive to scale up.
  Wind turbines
To be installed on as many rooftops as possible.
  Mostly for producing hydrogen gas
This could provide enough "general-purpose" electricity for homes, buildings and EVs, but not enough for heating in cold parts of the world.
    Can later be burned for heating buildings and in combustion vehicles
Wind turbines
Mostly for producing hydrogen gas
  Can later be burned for heating buildings and in combustion vehicles
         Fuel cell vehicles are too platinum/palladium-intensive to scale up, but hydrogen production is not.
         Fuel cell vehicles are too platinum/palladium-intensive to scale up, but hydrogen production is not.
  During local windy seasons, can also be used for electricity directly.
  During local windy seasons, can also be used for electricity directly.
  Thorium power
Thorium power
    Note that other forms of nuclear are not viable to scale up
  Note that other forms of nuclear are not viable to scale up
      Conventional nuclear power uses too much uranium-235 (too scarce)
    Conventional nuclear power uses too much uranium-235 (too scarce)
      Uranium-238 breeder reactors have too many weapons proliferation concerns
    Uranium-238 breeder reactors have too many weapons proliferation concerns
      Nuclear fusion probably won't be viable soon enough, even though it'll ultimately be the best option in the distant future.
    Nuclear fusion probably won't be viable soon enough, even though it'll ultimately be the best option in the distant future.


Until the above tech is ready, developed countries must reduce energy demand - most effectively by...
Until the above tech is ready, developed countries must reduce energy demand - most effectively by...
Driving less
Driving less
   Individual action: Walk, bike, or use public transit.
   Individual action: Walk, bike, or use public transit.
   Collective action: Making neighborhoods more walkabile and improving public transit.
   Collective action: Making neighborhoods more walkabile and improving public transit.
Buying less new "stuff"
Buying less new "stuff"
   Individual action: Frugalism
   Individual action: Frugalism
   Collective action: Fight against planned obsolescence
   Collective action: Fight against planned obsolescence
  Yes, these actions would have the most impact - see this pie chart :File:energy-demand-pie1.png.
  Yes, these actions would have the most impact - see this pie chart :File:energy-demand-pie1.png.


Note that climate change isn't the ''only'' major environmental problem. There's also habitat loss. The most effective way to stop this is via food:
  Note that climate change isn't the ''only'' major environmental problem. There's also habitat loss. The most effective way to stop this is via food:
     Reason: Because agriculture uses more land than any other human activity.
     Reason: Because agriculture uses more land than any other human activity.
Stop food waste
Stop food waste
   (both personal ''and'' business food waste)
   (both personal ''and'' business food waste)
Make food more plant-based
Make food more plant-based
   (both personal choices ''and'' systemic changes make a difference here)
   (both personal choices ''and'' systemic changes make a difference here)
  Yes, these actions make the biggest difference, both for the environment and for ending global hunger.
  Yes, these actions make the biggest difference, both for the environment and for ending global hunger.
</pre>
</pre>

Latest revision as of 01:54, 24 December 2023

   Most of the world's energy today comes from fossil fuels.
 To really phase out all fossil fuel energy, the following tech is needed:
   Energy storage, especially...
Sodium-ion batteries
     Reason: Because lithium-ion is too mineral-intensive to scale up.
 To be used for mid-range electric vehicles and smoothing out the day-night cycle of solar panels.
 They don't even have to be as energy dense as lithium-ion.

     Energy sources - some combination of
Solar panels without scarce minerals
    Reason: Most of today's solar panels on the market are too mineral-intensive to scale up.
 To be installed on as many rooftops as possible.
 This could provide enough "general-purpose" electricity for homes, buildings and EVs, but not enough for heating in cold parts of the world.
Wind turbines
 Mostly for producing hydrogen gas
  Can later be burned for heating buildings and in combustion vehicles
        Fuel cell vehicles are too platinum/palladium-intensive to scale up, but hydrogen production is not.
  During local windy seasons, can also be used for electricity directly.
Thorium power
   Note that other forms of nuclear are not viable to scale up
    Conventional nuclear power uses too much uranium-235 (too scarce)
    Uranium-238 breeder reactors have too many weapons proliferation concerns
    Nuclear fusion probably won't be viable soon enough, even though it'll ultimately be the best option in the distant future.

 Until the above tech is ready, developed countries must reduce energy demand - most effectively by...
Driving less
  Individual action: Walk, bike, or use public transit.
  Collective action: Making neighborhoods more walkabile and improving public transit.
Buying less new "stuff"
  Individual action: Frugalism
  Collective action: Fight against planned obsolescence

 Yes, these actions would have the most impact - see this pie chart :File:energy-demand-pie1.png.

  Note that climate change isn't the ''only'' major environmental problem. There's also habitat loss. The most effective way to stop this is via food:
    Reason: Because agriculture uses more land than any other human activity.
Stop food waste
  (both personal ''and'' business food waste)
Make food more plant-based
  (both personal choices ''and'' systemic changes make a difference here)

 Yes, these actions make the biggest difference, both for the environment and for ending global hunger.