Electrifying transport will not be enough to decarbonize the economy

Transport emissions only represent 16.2% of global emissions, so its electrification will only reduce a small part of the problem, according to energy experts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who defend the promotion of all energy sources. available to decarbonise the economy.

This was revealed by the scientists who participated in Madrid at a symposium organized by the Javier Areces Foundation under the title “The future of energy: tackling climate change”in which they shared their views on the variety of technological options, the economic and climate impacts of energy decisions, and the future of nuclear fusion.

The deputy director of the Joint Program of the MIT on the science and politics of global change, Dr. Sergey PaltsevI explain that “It’s not just about global warming”because the climate crisis “involves more extreme weather events”which “they have come to stay”even in “stabilized emissions scenarios”.

“We have all heard that the solution is to electrify road transport, but that will only reduce a small part of the enormous challenge”points Paltsevsince while transport as a whole -road, air, sea and rail- represents 16.2% of emissions, those produced by energy expenditure in industry and buildings (73.2% and 17.5%, respectively) are not altered, according to the MIT data for the year 2016.

What’s more, “The materials required for an electric car are six times higher than those needed by a conventional vehicle” and “Almost all strategic minerals are owned by China”warns Paltsev, who observes “a substitution of fossil fuels for rare earths” in what he has described as “geopolitical history of decarbonization”.

Paltsev has stated that “we are not sure that we can achieve the promises made at COP 26 in Glasgow (UK)”given that “Despite the pandemic, 2021 was the year with the most greenhouse gas emissions in history”, So the current trend “it is not compatible with the stabilization of the thermal rise around 1.5 degrees”.

The scientist has pointed out that even in the scenarios “more aggressive” reduction of emissions proposed by the IPCC, “we will continue to use oil and gas; There is a lot of confusion on this subject..

decarbonization “It’s not just technology”but it requires a lot “political will and public acceptance to know how much we are willing to pay to achieve it”.

On the other hand, the teacher Dennis G. Whytean expert in nuclear fusion, spoke about the state of development of this technology and its viability as a source of sustainable energy.

Whyte has described nuclear fusion as “the power of the stars and the universe”given that “It is the process that takes place in the Sun and makes life possible on Earth”where it is postulated as “an abundant and sustainable source of energy”.

Although nuclear fusion uses hydrogen and its isotopes – deuterium and tritium, which are abundant in water – instead of the radioactive fuel used in nuclear fission, “it is a slow developing technology, there is more scientific research at the moment”but “This is a unique tool to combat climate change.”

Among other applications, nuclear fusion could be used to “obtain ammonia and promote maritime transport in a sustainable way” with this compound, in the form of “fuel or batteries”, Whyte details.

The nuclear fusion expert points out that “To combat climate change we need to use all available energy and overcome the economic barriers that prevent its development”and for that it is “institutional support essential”.

Researchers from the MIT Howard Herzog and Peter Godardwhich have addressed the potential of capturing and storing CO2 and the possible conversion of recycled aluminum into a water-reactive fuel for the generation of clean hydrogen.