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That's simply untrue. Iceland for example is already 100% renewable. Other grids with large installed hydro generation (eg New Zealand) could move to solely ren

by ezzaf 6y ago

That's simply untrue. Iceland for example is already 100% renewable. Other grids with large installed hydro generation (eg New Zealand) could move to solely renewable with the installation of more intermittent generation and transmission infrastructure. Yes, most grids still rely on non renewable resources. But that is simply a relic of the fact that they were built that way. The existing examples prove it's possible.

kortilla 6y ago
That’s the equivalent of saying “be born rich” to a poor person. Iceland is running on geothermal which most places don’t have and dams are a non-starter in the vast majority of river systems due to the ecological destruction. There are no countries running on wind/solar, which is the only renewable technology that can actually run everywhere.
- oblio 6y ago
  Iceland also has the population of a small to midsized city (~300k, if I recall correctly).
- ezzaf 6y ago
  The comment I was replying to stated that "Renewables _always_ require a fossil backup". This is clearly untrue, as the multiple examples of grids that do not have or need fossil backup shows. Certainly the examples I have given are those that have the easiest path to renewables. It is entirely logical that they would be the first to transition. But it proves that it's possible.
Aerroon 6y ago
Hydroelectric power isn't quite as clean as many believe though. >We estimate that GHG emissions from reservoir water surfaces account for 0.8 (0.5–1.2) Pg CO2 equivalents per year, with the majority of this forcing due to CH4. https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/11/949/2754271 https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/11/949/275427... That's between 2% and 3% of our global greenhouse gas emissions. About three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions come from energy production and about 15% of all energy production is hydro power if I recall correctly. It's much better than fossil fuels, but not quite clean.
- deleted 6y ago
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by ezzaf 6y ago

kortilla 6y ago

That’s the equivalent of saying “be born rich” to a poor person. Iceland is running on geothermal which most places don’t have and dams are a non-starter in the vast majority of river systems due to the ecological destruction. There are no countries running on wind/solar, which is the only renewable technology that can actually run everywhere.

oblio 6y ago
Iceland also has the population of a small to midsized city (~300k, if I recall correctly).
ezzaf 6y ago
The comment I was replying to stated that "Renewables _always_ require a fossil backup". This is clearly untrue, as the multiple examples of grids that do not have or need fossil backup shows. Certainly the examples I have given are those that have the easiest path to renewables. It is entirely logical that they would be the first to transition. But it proves that it's possible.

Aerroon 6y ago

Hydroelectric power isn't quite as clean as many believe though. >We estimate that GHG emissions from reservoir water surfaces account for 0.8 (0.5–1.2) Pg CO2 equivalents per year, with the majority of this forcing due to CH4. https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/11/949/2754271 https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/11/949/275427... That's between 2% and 3% of our global greenhouse gas emissions. About three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions come from energy production and about 15% of all energy production is hydro power if I recall correctly. It's much better than fossil fuels, but not quite clean.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]