Scientists have responded to a study which said transitioning to 100% clean energy isn’t possible – by saying tech makes it possible.
The paper in question was published in the journal, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, by Master of Science Benjamin Heard and his colleagues. It argues there are too many obstacles to achieving the goal.
But Dr Tom Brown of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology said “while several of the issues raised by the Heard paper are important, you have to realise that there are technical solutions to all the points they raised, using today’s technology.”
The reaction from the scientists is now available in the same journal that published the Heard piece.
“There are some persistent myths that 100% renewable systems are not possible,” added Professor Brian Vad Mathiesen of Aalborg University, and co-author. “Our contribution deals with these myths one-by-one, using all the latest research. Now let’s get back to the business of modelling low-cost scenarios to eliminate fossil fuels from our energy system, so we can tackle the climate and health challenges they pose.”
According to a study led by Stanford’s Mark Jacobson, 139 nations can move to 100% renewable energy by 2050.