Energy policy and global warming

See also: Nuclear_power_reconsidered

Fig.1 World electric power consumption in 2021 was 3030 GW. This may soon double, including many coal plants in the developing world.

Fig.2 Electric power generation is only a third of our CO2 problem. A zero-carbon future should include process heat for industry and fuels for transportation.

Fig.3 Success in reducing CO2 requires abundant, clean, reliable power.

Fig.4 Wind and solar alone are not enough.

Fig.5 Wind and solar as the only solution will require unrealistic commitments of land and resources and a new storage technology far less expensive than today's batteries.

(CC) Image: ThorCon
Fig.6 One GW of nuclear power can be small, safe, and clean. Recycling fuel and used reactors can be done at a central secure location.

Fig.7 Time is short, and build rate is critical to meeting our goals.

File:Low-carbon-share-energy.png

Fig.8 Few countries are now on track.

Fig.9 Decarbonizing industry will require vast amounts of process heat, either directly from a nuclear reactor, or using hydrogen as an intermediary.

National energy policies have had a profound effect on success in reducing CO2 emissions. Some countries have made substantial progress in meeting the goals they have agreed to. Very few are moving fast enough to limit global warming to 2 degrees C. This article is a brief review of the options for decarbonizing our world.

Further Reading

Electrifying Our World Robert Hargraves' excellent overview of energy, the growth human civilization, and possible solutions to the current climate crisis.
Our World in Data has a section on Energy and Environment with nice interactive graphics.
World Nuclear Information Library a well-organized authoritative collection of information on nuclear power.