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| Sat, 9th May 2020 17:28:00 |
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Debunking Attacks On Clean Energy Manufacturing Emissions |
Opposition to clean energy technologies that attack viable solutions on the grounds of the environmental impacts associated with the processes that manufacture them lacks a historical understanding of energy transitions.
These arguments often cry erroneous claims like highlighting the dirty electricity that sometimes powers electric vehicles, the manufacturing of steel tubes that support wind turbines, and the mining operations of lithium for batteries. These claims force all walks of environmentalists and climate deniers to question the impacts of upstream manufacturing processes when such processes are in fact necessary to transition to a clean energy ecosystem. History shows, however, that energy transitions are achievable only with the aid of the preceding energy ecosystem.
The truth of the matter is currently that, yes, electricity for EVs will often have some mix of non-renewable electricity*, the creation of steel for wind turbines is an emissions-heavy process, and the mining of lithium strips the earth of valuable minerals and pollutes the air in the process. Whether the environmental pros of clean technologies currently outweigh the cons of their upstream manufacturing processes is not the discussion to be had (although, evidence significantly favors the pros).
The real understanding that must be appreciated is that history shows one energy ecosystem must be leveraged in order to create another. Human and animal power was a major catalyst during the transition from a foodstuff-based energy ecosystem to one based on the steam engine and the water turbine. Humans (often women and children) and horses would dig coal 24 hours a day to produce the new world's fuel. Trees were cut and transported in mass throughout Europe by human and animal power to construct superior water turbines, roads, and factories. This continued for decades until new technologies enabled steam power to take over many of these processes.
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