So far in 2023 we’ve been keeping an interested eye on the subtle shift in the dominant green narrative here at Resource Erectors. In 2023 we’re finally seeing some corporate counter-punching and real-world advancements in more practical “drop-in” solutions for a truly green transition.
The green shift toward hydrogen and fuel agnostic diesel power is finally gathering steam, flying in the face of decades of EV (Electric Vehicle) and battery marketing that made the green transition a zero-sum, all-electric, lithium battery proposition, a campaign perpetuated by the usual greenster suspects, such as hydrogen hater Elon Musk, EV-phoric Jeff Bezos, and associated global green company.
It Ain’t Easy Being Green With Lithium
Back in 2021 we debunked the false green notion of Amazon’s proposed fleet of 100,000 electric delivery trucks. The energy resources required to mine “the mountains of copper, nickel, aluminum, and cobalt for lightweight EV construction, are consumed in quantities up to 10 times higher than would be required for producing equivalent gas-powered vehicles that wouldn’t need resource ravenous lithium-ion battery replacement every two years or so.”
Replacement every 2 years or so? So much for “renewable” lithium batteries.
“It is estimated that between 2021 and 2030, about 12.85 million tons of EV lithium ion batteries will go offline worldwide, and over 10 million tons of lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese will be mined for new batteries.”- The Environmental Impact of Lithium Batteries- The Institute for Energy Research
We’ve talked about the “green carrot” on the stick in the form of extravagant government support for “renewable energy” in the form of grants and tax breaks for the all-electric, zero-emissions at all costs approach, and it turns out that the Americans who were asked about it were pretty fed up with green investments that deliver much less for much more.
Making the Technology We Already Have Better
In the mythical green world presented by Musk and his carbon-phobic minions in the WEF, (a dubious self-appointed organization which could be more accurately known as the Weird Elites Forum) the baby getting tossed out with the bathwater is standard operating procedure.
In the midst of “green correctness” fossil fuels are foul, and woe to those who defy that dictum. But green naysayers couldn’t stop Japan, the nation that relies on coal for a substantial third of its power needs. Energy companies there are taking the common sense approach by developing clean coal energy, making practical, reliable, established technology and the infrastructure that supports it better.
Japan and the Rise of Clean Coal
According to the recent article “Japan’s ‘clean coal’ power experiment is starting to bear fruit” a coal burning plant using the first stage reduced consumption technology alone would still emit almost twice the amount of carbon dioxide compared with a liquefied natural gas plant. Engineers added a carbon capture facility in the second stage to further cut emissions. Testing confirmed emissions could be lowered another 90% by using a relatively cheaper method of carbon capture technology, thus also increasing commercial viability.
The Japanese clean coal project also found that gasifying coal by adding oxygen during combustion produces not only CO2 as a byproduct but also hydrogen. The test plant added a fuel cell battery in the third stage to use the hydrogen to produce even more power. That’s an unanticipated energy bonus that never would have been discovered had Japanese energy providers not insisted on R&D investments to make coal burn cleaner as the best way to get greener.
“A coal plant with low emissions and [that] even makes hydrogen, an energy source that is rapidly gaining attention today — this can completely alter the notion of coal,”- Tetsuo Kikuchi, president of Osaki CoolGen and project manager
Americans Want Alternative Energy Choices
A recent survey conducted by Heart and Mind Strategies LLC for the Diesel Technology Forum , queried a sample of 2,500 Americans last November 2022. American consumers want American style market choice, with R&D that makes the fuel and power technologies we already have better.
“Of the 2500 surveyed over 80% want to make “fuels and technologies we have today work better” with focus on those that are zero emissions”.
80+ percent of surveyed Americans also reject the governments’ and green elites’ support for financial incentives and tax policies focused on only new “alternative” technologies. The highest levels of disapproval were for punitive financial policies, or mandates, against continued use of existing technologies such as diesel and even low-carbon LNG, liquid natural gas. And the last thing they’ll accept are draconian, “all-electric” mandates that penalize and infringe on the available free market choice.
“It’s clear that Americans favor more of a carrot than a stick approach to setting policy and encouraging new fuels and technologies. As for approaches to addressing climate change, the debate is often framed in absolutes and extremes, all or none, electric vs. internal combustion, and which is the best and right approach. The American people have a more practical perspective that values a wide range of solutions and consumer choice. Americans want an inclusive approach, an all of the above strategy, and aren’t comfortable with us only investing in zero carbon emissions technologies.”- (DTF) Executive Director Allen Schaeffer.
About Resource Erectors
When it’s time to make human resource choices in heavy industry you’ll want to take an inclusive approach with an “all of the above” strategy that brings the top professional candidates to the forefront of your intensive recruiting efforts. At Resource Erectors we maintain connections with the most qualified experienced candidates in mining, engineering, civil construction, minerals, aggregates, concrete, logistics, safety, process and plant management and more.
If you’re a top professional in your field looking to make a strategic career move you’ll want to be matched with the industry-leading companies who know that their human assets are their most precious assets. At Resource Erectors we have decades of connections to our corporate clients who offer the most competitive compensation and benefits to secure and retain the industrial talent they need. When you’re ready to make a choice, you’re ready for Resource Erectors so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
