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80% of UK’s waste oil would only power 0.6% of its flights Using synthetic e-fuel for all USA domestic flights would use 85% of USA’s electricity generated. P
by ptman 1y ago
80% of UK’s waste oil would only power 0.6% of its flights
Using synthetic e-fuel for all USA domestic flights would use 85% of USA’s electricity generated.
Powering UK flights on plant-based biofuels would use >50% of its agricultural land
2⃣ UK waste oil is already spoken for, used in soap, cosmetics etc.
But it’s far short of what would be needed anyway.
Instead we will import ‘waste’ from places like Malaysia, which also happens to be a major palm oil producer (worse than diesel for warming).
3⃣ Synthetic e-fuels use lots of electricity.
Using renewables doesn’t make it ok.
That’s because, until we fully decarbonise, it diverts renewables from reducing the burning of gas & oil, worsening climate change.
4⃣ UK Gov isn’t pushing crop-based bio-fuels, but other nations are, like Singapore.
These have high emissions, because they lead to forest destruction. They also threaten food shortages, with warming already hitting crop yields—and ecosystem collapse.
Source: https://bsky.app/profile/sioldridge.bsky.social/post/3luwjfryzn22j https://bsky.app/profile/sioldridge.bsky.social/post/3luwjfr...
- AngryData 1y agoThis why im still a huge advocate for building nuclear power. In order to synthesize this kind of stuff from air instead of wasting all our farmland on it to have carbon neutral liquid or gas fuels available, we need insane amounts of energy. For some things batteries and other tech are the better option to switch to, but petroleum is still king for many applications and farming it with plants is extremely land inefficient. So direct air synthesis using ass tons of energy which nuclear could provide is the clear and straight forward solution that doesn't require hand wavy future technology improvements or unrealistic ideas of using over half our farmland to grow fuels or covering significant percentages of the earth's surface with solar panels.
- zekrioca 1y agoShould we set nuclear facilities all over the country?
- scotty79 1y agoYes.
- gadders 1y agoYou mean like an SMR? Yes, if they can be secured. If we went for full size nuclear reactors, though, I doubt we would need more than half a dozen more in the UK.
- zekrioca 1y agoWho would pay for that? Should agriculture receive even more subsidies on top of the subsidies that nuclear power plants already receive?
- tim333 1y agoWhat if solar in the desert is cheaper and easier? One of the main issues with switching to biofuel is it costs way more than regular. Mandating an expensive way to make it won't fix that.
- thijson 1y agoI've found this web site to be informative about what it would take to go fully renewable: https://www.withouthotair.com/ https://www.withouthotair.com/ A lot of the calculations are back of the envelope, but I guess provide a ballpark estimate.