It would be unwise to bet our future on technology miracles, as our timeline for climate change solutions is now too short. Any ambitious technology like these would take decades to develop. We don't have decades. The actual miracles are that solar and wind are now the cheapest energy sources, electric cars are better cars than those we already have, and electric radiant heating is cozier than our existing heating systems.
`Miracle' technologies include fusion, next-generation nuclear fission, direct solar rectification, airborne wind energy, high-efficiency thermoelectric materials, ultra-high density batteries, and miracles we can’t yet imagine. All of these miracle technologies would, in fact, help with various components of decarbonization, and we should invest in them as research topics. With good management, some of them might come to fruition. However, it would be unwise to bet our future on miracles, as our timeline for climate change solutions is too short. Any ambitious technology like these would take decades to develop. We don't have decades.
The actual miracles are that solar and wind are now the cheapest energy sources, electric cars are better cars than those we already have, electric radiant heating is cozier than our existing heating systems, and the Internet was a practice run and blueprint for the electricity network of the future.
Rewiring Australia is a non-profit, independent, non-partisan organisation dedicated to representing the people, households and communities in the energy system. We empirically demonstrate and communicate the cost savings, emissions reductions, and energy system benefits of electrification.
Rewiring Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we live, meet and work and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Rewiring Australia is a member of Climate Action Network Australia.
