The World Electricity Supply - a decade of de-carbonization? [View all]

[GliderGuider]

Last edited Fri Jun 19, 2015, 03:01 PM - Edit history (2)

Here is some more data mining from the new BP Statistical Review. It shows the changing mix of world electricity sources over the last 10 years. My big wish was to find that the share of fossil fuels has been shrinking as renewables ramp up. Alas, such is not the case.



While the contribution of wind, water and solar has been growing, their increase has just balanced out the decline in nuclear generation. The share of fossil fuels has been flat at 70% of the mix for the past decade.

As someone who sees climate change as the biggest existential threat that life on Earth is facing, I was hoping to see the promises of the energy warriors being realized by now.

It now seems obvious that we will not decarbonize human activity by energy substitution, at least not nearly fast enough to prevent massive disruptions due to climate over the coming decades. If we want to make headway against the ecological crisis, our only alternative seems to be to undertake a drastic program of consumption cuts, from the bottom to the top of all the world's societies. Fortunately we don't need to wait for government programs, subsidies or even any leadership at all. This is something that each of us can undertake on our own, without help or permission from anyone.

This appears to be the only realistic (?) option we have left: Do less with less.

Even that has more to do with moral satisfaction than any realistic chance at mitigation. But, moral satisfaction is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. And we have to do something!

Papa Frankie says we should always leave space for a miracle. He should know about miracles, right?