Without even doing any calculations on the back of a coaster, does that sound like a viable situation in a world of extreme energy poverty?
Despite some initial spin, this is a surprisingly good article highlighting the major cognitive dissonance in promoting a renewables-heavy approach in the face of continuing global energy poverty. Significant development across dozens of economies is required to even scratch the surface. Coupled with a global energy market where prices and supply are interlinked, measures to make fossil fuel supply more difficult and expensive contribute directly to energy poverty.
KEY QUOTES:
“The research also indicates that a country’s economic growth has to reach a threshold before it begins to stimulate a rise in renewable energy consumption and a fall in fossil fuel energy consumption—on average this was around $17,000 per capita.”
“The authors explain that as the cost of installing renewable energy systems is passed to consumers through electricity bills this decreases the incentive to consume renewable electricity. But then economic growth helps promote renewable technologies leading to higher renewable electricity production over time and consequently a reduction in the costs for income groups.”
SOURCE:
Countries investing in renewable energy enjoy greater economic growth and lower income inequality
TECHXPLORE
Primate v. Climate 