cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/54245880
The U.S. war with Iran has raised fossil fuel prices so much that the resulting drop in oil demand has put the world on track to see a rare dip in carbon emissions from these sources in 2026.
Between 2019 and 2025, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels grew by about 0.8 percent annually, according to a new study published in Nature Climate Change. But 2026 is set to buck that trend: high oil prices, as well as the continued rise of green technology—solar power, wind and electric cars—will cause a “short-term” 0.4 percent drop, according to the study.
“The high petrol prices following the war in Iran are reducing oil use and keeping emissions low,” says the study’s lead author Corinne Le Quéré, a professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia in England. “But that’s not the whole story: The expansion of renewable energy has progressed a lot in recent years, led by China. And [along with electric vehicles], this is offsetting two thirds of the growing demand for energy.”
With all sources of carbon considered, including deforestation, total global CO2 emissions are set to continue increasing.
What?
You have never seen a grocery store closed with a sign out front reading “ran out of diesel” ?
If we ran out of gasoline, we’d run out of an extradoridarily effective and efficient energy source to power our electrical grid. May not be as clean as propane (fucking next to nothing GWP over 20 years of use) but it’s effective and efficient.
If we 100% relied on renewable to power the grid we’d be absolutely fucked.
Every day layperson who’s going to work and coming back home, yeah fine get an EV but in the long run of what we need to keep your phone charging at night in the middle of bumfuck (yeah I know solar on roofs, wind turbines at home and all the DIY shit I’m talking the the layperson who’s not going to go the extra 15 miles to learn all that shit), you’re gonna want natgas.
https://www.yesenergy.com/blog/how-do-natural-gas-power-plants-work
I will say though, it’s fucking dope seeing people exploit the sterling engine for a renewable energy source. Those things are so extraterrestrial to me but dammit are they simple.
I’ve had idea of splitting my incomong water line and making an in home turbine to charge a wall of liquid cooled batteries hooked to a separate circuit breaker panel.
I’ve thought about 12’ diameter solar dishes for Stirling engines. A farmer somewhere does that and that made me happy.
I’ve thought about making my own biofuels but thats too risky.
I like ethanol as a fuel source. It’d be nice if cars could distill everything down to the last drop.