This report by the IPCC is an excellent resource for anyone interested in renewable technology.
The report suggests that by 2050 we can supply 80% of our energy needs from renewables. Personally I believe that it is well within our abilities to achieve a very low carbon economy, but due to the simple fact, that the know fossil fuel reserves are about five times greater than we can burn, without exceeding a global temperature increase of 2 Deg C., we have an enormous pressure from the fossil fuel companies to exploit those reserves. I don't see any fossil fuel company being willing to put their hand up, and say we will leave 80% of our reserves in the ground.
This also suggests that the favoured solution of economists of putting a price on carbon ultimately won't work, while a price on carbon will definitely make a difference at first over time the fossil fuel companies will sell the fuel for whatever they can get for it.Statistics: Posted by warmair — Sun Feb 03, 2013 5:34 pm
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