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imhere4themcomments t1_j6vodo5 wrote

Reply to comment by rnargang in No coal comeback: Europe’s renewable energy transition is in hyperdrive by Straight_Ad2258

Which renewables are currently decreasing in cost? Inflation is driving prices way up and making the world dependent on China. It takes a half million pounds of mined earth to build one electric car battery. Most windmills take more resource than they actually produce in their life span. Solar panels require mining and a huge percentage are produced in regions of China that use forced labor. So which renewable source or sources are you saying are a “no brainer?”

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rnargang t1_j6wuxsn wrote

Please do your research. The cost of wind and solar keep declining - solar at a much faster rate. I've never come across an article reporting something different. Carbon emissions are also much lower than fossil fuels over the life cycle.

As for materials, some are available around the world, others are not. Lithium deposits are in different countries and other sources are being developed. Some material, such as cobalt, is located primarily in one country - Congo. Lots of abuse of laborers in the extraction process, which doesn't make the news and seems to have been missed by you as a complaint. Researchers are looking for alternatives of hard to source materials or ways to more effectively recycle existing materials to reduce mining.

The widespread transition to renewables is still early in the process. We will learn and figure out ways to do things better. Technology will change. Alternatives to lithium are constantly being tested. Please don't attack something that you don't understand.

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