While it is not clear by H.Res 109 [the non-binding resolution that planted a stake in the ground by the House] in 2019 that there is a firm deadline of 10 years, nor what, exactly is to be accomplished by that clock, it is a commonly known deadline, none-the-less. What is expected to be done, one might ask A. Occasional Cortex?
Where are we now, 3 years into that 10 years?
The state of energy consumption in the U.S. can be summed as follows: the equivalent of 14.6 billion BOE [equivalent of barrels of oil consumed] have been consumed to date this year, 2021. With 60 days left to the year [5/6 of the year] it is extrapolated that the final tally will be pprox. 17.6B boe.
Of the 5.4B actual barrels of oil consumed this Y.T.D the total contribution of renewable sources of energy amounts to a whopping 22%. At that level of contribution, if that 22% is doubled annually, it will still require 4.5 of those 7 years to achieve net zero. Clearly, given the recent past's growth, we will not make 10 years and have anything close to net zero.
Renewables [hydro, biofuels, wind, geothermal, solar] increasing are not increasing annual use by 22% per annum. Consider that from, 1970 to now, 50 years, the total use of renewables has doubled, at a rate of 2% per year. The numbers just do not stack fast enough. That's not to say it shouldn't be done; I'm all for projecting greater use of renewables as time goes on. I'm saying setting the goal of net zero so quickly was careless and irresponsible. By the way, I have been running on a 39-panel array of solar panels since 2016. What have you done? And I'm far from a GND proponent, but for other reasons having nothing to do with renewable energy, which is a lousy description if one thinks about it, since petroleum is renewable, too, and has been renewing for billions of years, and will continue renewing until every life on Earth is extinguished.
