World can halt fossil fuel use by 2090

[n2doc]

12:13 27 October 2008
NewScientist.com news service
New Scientist staff and Reuters



The world could eliminate fossil fuel use by 2090, saving $18 trillion in future fuel costs and creating a $360 billion industry that provides half of the world's electricity, the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and environmental group Greenpeace said on Monday.

The 210-page study is one of few reports – even by lobby groups – to look in detail at how energy use would have to be overhauled to meet the toughest scenarios for curbing greenhouse gases outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"Renewable energy could provide all global energy needs by 2090," according to the study, entitled "Energy (R)evolution." EREC represents renewable energy industries and trade and research associations in Europe.

A more radical scenario could eliminate coal use by 2050 if new power generation plants shifted quickly to renewables.

more:

http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn15043-2090-is-the-deadline-for-the-end-of-fossil-fuel-use.html

[lapfog_1]

1. Actually, for the cost of the various bailouts

we could do it in 10 years, all with today's technology. Cost would be fully repaid in 20 years, and it would put 300,000 people or more to work in the US.

[LaurenG]

2. 2090 is actually too far away.

I bet we're off the fossil fuel before that. At least I hope so.

[TheCML]

3. Hmmm....

By 2090 ill be well on my way to BEING fossile fuel.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GliderGuider]

5. When you examine just one dimension of a multidimensional problem anything is possible.

Every single human being on the face of the planet "can" act altruistically. So what? What does this knowledge add to the solution space?

"We can keep driving cars forever" is not a solution to our planetary predicament.

[NNadir]

6. Our great great grandchildren will really, really, really, really, be impressed with our vision.

I say this because they will completely understand our willingness to do nothing ourselves.

It is technically feasible to eliminate coal on this planet in about 20 years, I figure, but it would require decency and intelligence and vast sacrifice and hard work, things that are in particularly in short supply.

This reminds me of a few years ago when lots of yuppie brats were linking here - me among them - the famous Pacala and Socolow paper on "stabilization wedges." The time line for that whopper was 50 years - and to engage in a little fashionable "percent talk" I note that 10% of the 50 year stabilization wedge time line is now passed, without much result.