The green energy net-zero plan will require a command economy

Article by Dr. Michael Kelly

Here is an excellent (unfortunately paywalled) article by Cambridge’s Dr. Michael Kelly on the reality of what it will cost to achieve net zero through full electrification. Essentially we might achieve it if all nations of the world dedicate themselves to a stalinist planned economy with reduced standards of living.

So we can see that the infrastructure parts of the net-zero project which are theoretically possible would cost comfortably in excess of $35 trillion and would require a dedicated and highly skilled workforce comparable to that of the construction sector as well as enormous amounts of materials. Net zero would also require several things which today are completely impossible: scalable non-fossil energy storage, very high temperature electrical industrial processes, serious electrical aviation and shipping. There would also be the matter of decarbonising agriculture. These things, if they can even be achieved, would multiply the cost at least several times over, to more than $100 trillion.

As an engineer I am not particularly opposed to this idea, because it will grant me guaranteed employment, but as a citizen I am concerned that the politicians are not honest to the public about the costs involved and the mass mobilisation that they are preparing us for.

Despite all the hype , fossil fuels still remain the backbone of the industrial economy, with the fastest energy source (not electricity) being, you guessed it coal.