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Well then, why don't we stop digging for lithium for the batteries, rare earth minerals for all electronics, metals etc. Where do you think the resources for r

Well then, why don't we stop digging for lithium for the batteries, rare earth minerals for all electronics, metals etc. Where do you think the resources for renewable energy come from? Windmills and solar panels don't come out of thin air. "No more digging stuff" shows such a disconnected view from reality. Everything is "limited" in some sense. The puritan attitude as if you can somehow avoid using resources, is just wrong. And oil is hardly the most scarce resource that's at the biggest risk of running out right now.

flangola7 4y ago
1 pound of resources used to build a solar panel will provide power for years or decades. 1 pound of gasoline might provide power for 30 minutes. Yes they both run out, but one will run out in the 21st century and the other will run out in the 210th century.
- panick21_ 4y ago
  1 pound of uranium ...
  - Moissanite 4y ago
    ...and you'll be warm for the rest of your life.
- machina_ex_deus 4y ago
  The most limited resources aren't what we pull from the ground. Space is the most limited resource, especially in areas crowded with people. Just look at real estate prices compared to oil. It's negligible. Solar and wind power are extremely inefficient in the most scarce resource. Oil can be cheaply moved from far off locations to locations with scarce space.
  - Tagbert 4y ago
    Space in general is not limited. The price for the land varies significantly and solar and wind are generally located in the lower price areas where there are not crowds of people.
troyvit 4y ago
A lot of organizations _do_ want to stop digging for lithium for the batteries.[1] Forward thinkers see Lithium (and other rare earth minerals) as a stop-gap to get us off of the more destructive technologies we've been relying on. Yeah yeah we'll always have to do a little digging, but that doesn't mean we can't try to minimize it.[1] Also, recycling existing renewable resources is another way that Vestas, the largest wind turbine provider, is attempting to pull windmills "out of thin air."[2] Maybe the way we draw energy will never be perfect but does that mean we shouldn't try? [1] https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-iron-air-battery-farm-xcel-energy/ https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-iron-air-ba... [2] https://newatlas.com/environment/vestas-cetec-circular-epoxy-turbine-blades/ https://newatlas.com/environment/vestas-cetec-circular-epoxy...

flangola7 4y ago

1 pound of resources used to build a solar panel will provide power for years or decades. 1 pound of gasoline might provide power for 30 minutes. Yes they both run out, but one will run out in the 21st century and the other will run out in the 210th century.

panick21_ 4y ago
1 pound of uranium ...
- Moissanite 4y ago
  ...and you'll be warm for the rest of your life.
machina_ex_deus 4y ago
The most limited resources aren't what we pull from the ground. Space is the most limited resource, especially in areas crowded with people. Just look at real estate prices compared to oil. It's negligible. Solar and wind power are extremely inefficient in the most scarce resource. Oil can be cheaply moved from far off locations to locations with scarce space.
- Tagbert 4y ago
  Space in general is not limited. The price for the land varies significantly and solar and wind are generally located in the lower price areas where there are not crowds of people.

troyvit 4y ago

A lot of organizations _do_ want to stop digging for lithium for the batteries.[1] Forward thinkers see Lithium (and other rare earth minerals) as a stop-gap to get us off of the more destructive technologies we've been relying on. Yeah yeah we'll always have to do a little digging, but that doesn't mean we can't try to minimize it.[1] Also, recycling existing renewable resources is another way that Vestas, the largest wind turbine provider, is attempting to pull windmills "out of thin air."[2] Maybe the way we draw energy will never be perfect but does that mean we shouldn't try? [1] https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-iron-air-battery-farm-xcel-energy/ https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-iron-air-ba... [2] https://newatlas.com/environment/vestas-cetec-circular-epoxy-turbine-blades/ https://newatlas.com/environment/vestas-cetec-circular-epoxy...