Patriotism Means Moving the Country You Love in the Right Direction
We have a frequent commenter here who regularly voices his opinion that because the Paris Climate Accord is nonbinding that it’s merely symbolic. I respond:
To have every country on Earth (except one) come together and enthusiastically decide on a common goal of this magnitude and gravity is anything but symbolic. Of course, exactly how we get to full environmental sustainability from the terrible position in which we find ourselves today is to be determined, but getting there without this (near) unanimity of commitment that the entire rest of the world is vigorously supporting wouldn’t be possible at all.
That the U.S. is the only country on Earth actively pulling in the opposite direction, simply to support the most profitable set of enterprises ever to have have existed, i.e., the fossil fuel industry, is among the most despicable acts in our civilization’s long and brutal history. True, it doesn’t have the incomprehensible violence of a genocide, but its effects may prove even more destructive.
There is a great deal to celebrate about the great United States, but there is a lot to correct as well. Decent people recognize this and do something about it.
We’ve gone from slavery, to slaughtering the Native Americans, to destroying the planet. Why? Merely because people like you and me were too wrapped up in our own lives and simply let it happen. No more.
If being a good person means anything to you, you need to be on the right side of humankind’s efforts to save itself from climate disaster.
The Paris agreement is regarded as symbolic by some because the terms are non-binding (voluntary). What many of those folks fail to consider is that certain major players would not sign on to a binding agreement.
Given the prospect of no agreement at all, a voluntary agreement at least establishes a benchmark for negotiations on binding agreements in the future. It also functions as a useful public statement of recognition and intent, and as a rallying point.
Thanks Craig you are well meaning as always (I admire that) but regarding global energy generation and GHG technology; its only justifiable performance at all levels that matters; there should be zero tolerance for whimsical; creative or melodramatic rhetoric at this critical global juncture.
A case in point: Elon Musk yesterday.
Maybe heavily subsidised (by US taxpayers) Tesla Electric trucks are the global energy generation and GHG game-changer? But maybe not? My estimation – not.
I thought you might have quickly been out of the blocks following the Tesla truck unveiling with an optimistic critique, but many concerned readers might then have been a bit further confused in light of another recent Tesla critique (last week) which is not about electric trucks but other Tesla issues that might cast some doubt (at least for some objective and professionally detached people I would guess) about the overall Tesla reality going forward.
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4122890-tesla-approaches-terminal-decline
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4125926-tesla-truck-unveil-desperate-times-calls-desperate-measures
The global energy generation technologies reality show and sometimes near hysterical media blitz, seems to be getting a bit noisy and confusing some are saying; and Tesla is a stark case in point.
Have you a view to share Craig on this subject, and in particular how the average ordinary global citizen (and that’s about 10 billion of us) who might have an interest and concern in an enduring global power generation technology moving forward that would satisfy the global energy imperative of:- ‘providing all global citizens in perpetuity with; enduring, abundant, clean, safe, low cost and highly reliable power, to power homes, businesses, factories, infra structure development, industrialisation of undeveloped nations through new age energy intensive industries, to modern day standards’: that simultaneously would reduce Global Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) to insignificant proportions: might evaluate the amazing Tesla truck .mp4 graphic, in the overall global energy future context.
I think this is the real global discussion at the moment that we should all be demanding of our energy technology commentators (2greenenergy included) and practitioners, policy makers, national leaders, and key global corporations and decision makers.
My recommendation: let’s talk electric trucks, solar roof tiles, ….., ……, etc etc a little bit further down the track Elon, and get back to the main game please.
Lawrence Coomber
Lawrence,
Building and EV heavy vehicle is not practical considering the limited ESD capacity available with current battery technology.
Hino trucks ( a division of Toyota ) have been manufacturing hybrid trucks for nearly twenty years. The fuel savings and reliability are well proven and Ford, Daimler, and Volvo are now starting to produce hybrids.
Craig should take a lessen from Hino, sometimes moderate practical gains are better than unrealistic goals.
Are there instances where “moderate practical gains” AREN’T “better than unrealistic goals?”
Craig,
It’s not that easy. Although I often grow frustrated with idealistic advocates who reject the practical in favour of unrealistic, utopian dreams, it can also be true to that sometimes moderate measures prevent faster progress.
@Craig @Marcopolo
A bit off topic.
I am currently in Manila this week at an IIEE member’s conference and leading a small select team of Chinese RE manufacturing associates discussing with a local Philippine company key preliminary details of 2 RE project proposals: (1) a small scale Hydro project of about 25 MW and (2) a large scale solar PV project of about 450 MW. Engineering site surveys will take place in March following the Chinese New Year break. This I expect would be good news for Craig because like myself Craig is a champion supporter of global renewable energy projects.
I came here direct from LA last Tuesday after working in the US for 2 weeks. I spent a week at SAE Detroit along with 25 other EV engineers doing some advanced training under Erik Spek in high voltage EV battery designs, then some industrial off grid site surveys in Billings Montana for a local company; finishing up with some discussions about new inverter approvals i.a.w the new CA certification rules with some PV associates in Santa Cruz.
As interesting as all this is for our company, our associates and me personally, I am always conscious that projects like these in the Philippines are very important to the customers naturally enough and extremely useful in varying degrees for all involved in a local context only, but have no relevance beyond that regarding the future vision for enduring global energy generation and GHG mitigation technology, which is an entirely different subject.
Craig’s view would differ from this for sure in that he may conclude that many; many; similar projects along these lines globally actually “all add up” over time to something greater in total that can be expressed in scale as having a global significance and context.
Wrong.
And it is precisely this collective overexcited thinking by many practitioners and groups that is impacting visionary international energy generation policy planning and initiatives.
I call it: ‘future global energy generation technologies and GHG mitigation science’ by a show of hands.
Lawrence Coomber
Craig,
Thank you for your most informative post. Keep up the good work.
Well said, very well said indeed ! Many localized projects have no practical application outside of the area and circumstances of location.
Extrapolating technology is far more difficult that extrapolating ideology !