Climate change – challenges with technological solutions

Question

Hi,While listening to a talk by sci fi author Peter Watts[0], I was suprised by a point he raised:In industrial England, he mentions that when coal engines were begining to be made more efficient, the expectation was that coal consumption was to go down, but it skyrocketed. More efficient means cheaper prices - when the price of gas goes down, people don't drive less.What I found interesting is his comment that this will apply to renewables - even when solar gets more efficient, we'll just use so much of it that it'll even out (which seems to be the case, seeing all the issues with maintenance of solar) to not helping the environnement in the end.Reminds me of phone manifacturers keeping phone screens thinner and thinner everytime Gorillaglass makes a stronger glass - instead of just sticking to a standard that doesn't break.Not being an expert on climate change or renewables, I'm wondering if this is obviously wrong? If not - I find this alarming.[0]:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0rFGNYcIkI

anenefan · Accepted Answer

One of the aims of renewables is to reduce the need to use mineral carbon reserves still buried in the ground - the movement has a number of terms which are often poorly understood though sometimes thumped as being the solution like carbon neutral or net zero. [1]
However unlike the past with coal where the aim was to do it better as less cost, (and frankly the cheaper path that opened would certainly open a market and shift adopting that technology,) the path ahead will have to consider overall climate effects.
In the next couple of decades I think it will be pretty obvious that to maintain a climate we were once familiar with, there will have to be steps towards pushing the global temp downwards, along with regional projects to address issues like the loss of animal and plant diversity, water use, prolonged heat bubbles and better commuter travel / options.
[1]https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/carbon...

akasakahakada · Answer

> even when solar gets more efficient, we'll just use so much of it that it'll even out (which seems to be the case, seeing all the issues with maintenance of solar) to not helping the environnement in the end.
When the efficiency is high enough to a point that all process included in the life cycle can be covered by energy generated by solar panels, at the same time also affort to provide extra energy to reverse carbon emission, we call it a win.
Never use history to justify anything or use it as a proof. History is not a valid proof to anything. Use logic and scientific methods please.