"I must call out the flood of fossil fuel expansion we are seeing in some of the world's wealthiest countries," U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said. "Countries must phaseout fossil fuels—fast and fairly."
In 2023, the US consumed 26 thousand terrawatt-hours of energy. 80% of that came from coal, gas, and oil. The thing is, we can’t just immediately turn off all the coal and natural gas power plants, ground all the jet planes, and stop all the diesel and gasoline powered vehicles from driving. So, we have to keep producing fuel for those machines so long as they remain in use.
The hope is that the coal and natural gas power plants will be replaced with renewables and nuclear plants, all the cars, trucks, and buses will be replaced with electric vehicles, and that all other fossil fuel machines will be replaced with a non fossil fuel powered alternatives. But that’s just not happening, at least not very quickly.
Sure, EV sales have increased over the last several years, but EVs still only account for about 8% of new car sales. And, sure, many, many solar and wind farms have been built over the past several years, but those two energy sources only account for about 6% of our total energy consumption. That jumps up to about 14% if you include nuclear, but the amount of energy we get from nuclear has actually gone down over the past decade. Sure, we are also getting far less of our energy from coal, which is a good thing, but most of the shuttered coal plants have been replaced with natural gas plants.
The non fossil fuel machines and equipment just aren’t being adopted quickly enough, and in some sectors, like air travel, non fossil fuel alternatives just don’t exist yet. What this means is that fossil fuel consumption is going to remain for the foreseeable future.
Theres a difference between having things already around that we still need that require fossil fuels, and continuing to create new things that will require them even further into the future. We can immediately stop producing new gas powered vehicles and building new fossil fuel power plants.
We can immediately stop producing new gas powered vehicles
I really don’t think we can. There are electric vehicles, but not nearly enough being produced to meet all new car demand. And that’s because the car makers don’t think there’s enough demand for EVs. The auto makers produce what they believe there will demand for, and most still seem to think there is still greater demand for ICE vehicles (or hybrids) than fully electric cars.
I think some companies had tried to bring some BEV cargo trucks to market, but I don’t know if very many have actually been produced.
and building new fossil fuel power plants.
We certainly should, but we’re not. 20 new natural gas power plants will come online by the end of next year.
They absolutely can. It is totally, physically possible for them to stop making ICE vehicles. But that’s not what’s preventing them from making the transition from ICE vehicles to EVs. The auto makers are for profit corporations, and as such their primary concern is maximizing profit. The legacy auto makers aren’t yet convinced that they can maximize profits by ceasing ICE production and transitioning to EV production, exclusively. That’s what’s standing in the way. That would change if consumer demand for EVs was higher.
The government definitely does need to get involved. They need to make sure the grid is ready for mass EV adoption (and renewable energy, for that matter), and they need to make sure there are a sufficient number of charging stations. The government needs to help increase the demand for EVs by making EVs as easy, accessible, and affordable as possible. Once the demand is there, the automakers will provide the supply. Again, they just want to sell cars and make money. They don’t necessarily care if they’re selling ICE cars or EVs. If the demand is there, they will make the switch, they will go where the money is.
Yeah okay okay BUT half of the (US) population is actively fighting any attempt to speed up adoption of renewables and artificially slowing our progress for the benefit of oil/gas/coal companies and those who make parts for ICEs. Yeah changing things over night isn’t going to happen, but constantly threatening to take us out of the Paris Agreement isn’t helping.
Yeah okay okay BUT half of the (US) population is actively fighting any attempt to speed up adoption of renewables and artificially slowing our progress…
That’s been a long term problem. The bigger concern right now is US over the last decade or so becoming the biggest fossil fuel producer and exporter ever.
The thing is, we can’t just immediately turn off all the coal and natural gas power plants
No, but they could be completely replaced by a combination of renewable energy production and would have been if not for people like you making excuses for sticking with the deadly status quo.
all the diesel and gasoline powered vehicles
There’s literally no vehicle that can be powered by diesel or gasoline that can’t be powered by an electric motor.
So, we have to keep producing fuel for those machines so long as they remain in use.
And if it was up to you, that would probably be forever.
that’s just not happening, at least not very quickly.
It would have happened decades ago if not for luddites like you.
And, sure, many, many solar and wind farms have been built over the past several years, but those two energy sources only account for about 6% of our total energy consumption.
Because people like you keep voting for politicians who are in the pocket of the fossil fuel industries and thus only a fraction of the possible production is realized.
The non fossil fuel machines and equipment just aren’t being adopted quickly enough, and in some sectors, like air travel, non fossil fuel alternatives just don’t exist yet
Again, because of luddites like you standing on the brakes as the world burns.
What this means is that fossil fuel consumption is going to remain for the foreseeable future.
The tens of millions of people killed in the next decade or two as a direct result thank you and people like you.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t have any idea who I vote for or my positions on energy. You’ve made a number of completely baseless assumptions about me.
Can’t know for sure, but based on your statements, there’s a very low probability that you only vote for the few politicians that DON’T receive legal bribes from fossil fuel interests.
or my positions on energy
Not possible unless you were being unclear or just blatantly lying.
You’ve made a number of completely baseless assumptions about me.
Nah, I’ve made a series of educated guesses based on seeing the same exact arguments hundreds if not thousands of times before
Always by people who oppose the solutions that actually work for subjective reasons but want to pretend that change objectively just isn’t feasible.
Ok, tell me your educated guess about what my positions on energy are and I’ll tell you if you’re right.
Always by people who oppose the solutions that actually work for subjective reasons but want to pretend that change objectively just isn’t feasible.
I never said that change isn’t feasible, I said that fossil fuel use is likely to continue into the foreseeable future, because we’re not building enough renewables or nuclear power plants, and because people aren’t buying enough EVs, and because not all fossil fuel powered equipment have non fossil fuel powered alternatives that are available right now, like jet planes, for instance.
In 2023, the US consumed 26 thousand terrawatt-hours of energy. 80% of that came from coal, gas, and oil. The thing is, we can’t just immediately turn off all the coal and natural gas power plants, ground all the jet planes, and stop all the diesel and gasoline powered vehicles from driving. So, we have to keep producing fuel for those machines so long as they remain in use.
The hope is that the coal and natural gas power plants will be replaced with renewables and nuclear plants, all the cars, trucks, and buses will be replaced with electric vehicles, and that all other fossil fuel machines will be replaced with a non fossil fuel powered alternatives. But that’s just not happening, at least not very quickly.
Sure, EV sales have increased over the last several years, but EVs still only account for about 8% of new car sales. And, sure, many, many solar and wind farms have been built over the past several years, but those two energy sources only account for about 6% of our total energy consumption. That jumps up to about 14% if you include nuclear, but the amount of energy we get from nuclear has actually gone down over the past decade. Sure, we are also getting far less of our energy from coal, which is a good thing, but most of the shuttered coal plants have been replaced with natural gas plants.
The non fossil fuel machines and equipment just aren’t being adopted quickly enough, and in some sectors, like air travel, non fossil fuel alternatives just don’t exist yet. What this means is that fossil fuel consumption is going to remain for the foreseeable future.
Theres a difference between having things already around that we still need that require fossil fuels, and continuing to create new things that will require them even further into the future. We can immediately stop producing new gas powered vehicles and building new fossil fuel power plants.
I really don’t think we can. There are electric vehicles, but not nearly enough being produced to meet all new car demand. And that’s because the car makers don’t think there’s enough demand for EVs. The auto makers produce what they believe there will demand for, and most still seem to think there is still greater demand for ICE vehicles (or hybrids) than fully electric cars.
I think some companies had tried to bring some BEV cargo trucks to market, but I don’t know if very many have actually been produced.
We certainly should, but we’re not. 20 new natural gas power plants will come online by the end of next year.
Car companies seeing more profit to be made isnt really a compelling argument. Just because they dont want to stop doesnt mean they cant.
They absolutely can. It is totally, physically possible for them to stop making ICE vehicles. But that’s not what’s preventing them from making the transition from ICE vehicles to EVs. The auto makers are for profit corporations, and as such their primary concern is maximizing profit. The legacy auto makers aren’t yet convinced that they can maximize profits by ceasing ICE production and transitioning to EV production, exclusively. That’s what’s standing in the way. That would change if consumer demand for EVs was higher.
Obviously we dont wait for automakers to choose to care about the environment, it would be legislated
The government definitely does need to get involved. They need to make sure the grid is ready for mass EV adoption (and renewable energy, for that matter), and they need to make sure there are a sufficient number of charging stations. The government needs to help increase the demand for EVs by making EVs as easy, accessible, and affordable as possible. Once the demand is there, the automakers will provide the supply. Again, they just want to sell cars and make money. They don’t necessarily care if they’re selling ICE cars or EVs. If the demand is there, they will make the switch, they will go where the money is.
Yeah okay okay BUT half of the (US) population is actively fighting any attempt to speed up adoption of renewables and artificially slowing our progress for the benefit of oil/gas/coal companies and those who make parts for ICEs. Yeah changing things over night isn’t going to happen, but constantly threatening to take us out of the Paris Agreement isn’t helping.
Yes, that’s true.
That’s been a long term problem. The bigger concern right now is US over the last decade or so becoming the biggest fossil fuel producer and exporter ever.
No, but they could be completely replaced by a combination of renewable energy production and would have been if not for people like you making excuses for sticking with the deadly status quo.
There’s literally no vehicle that can be powered by diesel or gasoline that can’t be powered by an electric motor.
And if it was up to you, that would probably be forever.
It would have happened decades ago if not for luddites like you.
Because people like you keep voting for politicians who are in the pocket of the fossil fuel industries and thus only a fraction of the possible production is realized.
Again, because of luddites like you standing on the brakes as the world burns.
The tens of millions of people killed in the next decade or two as a direct result thank you and people like you.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t have any idea who I vote for or my positions on energy. You’ve made a number of completely baseless assumptions about me.
False.
Can’t know for sure, but based on your statements, there’s a very low probability that you only vote for the few politicians that DON’T receive legal bribes from fossil fuel interests.
Not possible unless you were being unclear or just blatantly lying.
Nah, I’ve made a series of educated guesses based on seeing the same exact arguments hundreds if not thousands of times before
Always by people who oppose the solutions that actually work for subjective reasons but want to pretend that change objectively just isn’t feasible.
Ok, tell me your educated guess about what my positions on energy are and I’ll tell you if you’re right.
I never said that change isn’t feasible, I said that fossil fuel use is likely to continue into the foreseeable future, because we’re not building enough renewables or nuclear power plants, and because people aren’t buying enough EVs, and because not all fossil fuel powered equipment have non fossil fuel powered alternatives that are available right now, like jet planes, for instance.
Sources?
US energy consumption by source , EVs as a percentage of new car sales