Letter to the Editor: Views on the impact of reaching net zero carbon

To the Editor:

I have always been an advocate of wind and solar energy. However, the conversion to a carbon free energy economy means the replacement of fossil fuels with electricity. This represents many issues that are beyond partisan politics. It seems that reality differs from conventional wisdom.

First of all, this will require an estimated increase in the production of electricity in the U.S. by a factor of two to four times it is today. Electricity is hard and expensive to transport over long distances. It is also difficult to stockpile in cases of emergency. Then, there are hard to electrify economic sectors such as fueling trucks, ships, airplanes, and heavy vehicles.

The Geo-political ramifications are also enormous. There are approximately 800 million people in the world who do not have access to any energy services. If developing countries focus on the need for growth, it is set to clash with the idea of net zero carbon production.

Even in industrial countries there does not seem to be a consensus of making the sacrifices required by net zero carbon. If the United States is the only country in the world to get to net zero, it will have exactly no effect on the amount of Carbon in the atmosphere.

Robert R. Moline
Genoa, WI