The Energy Disruption Triangle

CHAPTER EIGHTEENGetting to Net Zero: US Energy Independence

In this chapter, I'm going to look at the move toward US energy independence. Renewable energy generation, combined with cheap battery storage, is a huge disruptor in terms of reducing US dependence on fossil fuels. As more storage is combined with solar, the amount of fossil fuels we use will start to drop. As our renewable energy generation continues to increase, all fossil fuels will become stranded in the ground. Over the next century, the fossil fuel industry will transition to a much smaller sector. It will primarily cater to the airline industry and government use. Other countries will also be able to vastly reduce or eliminate the need for most fossil fuels. The process of stranding fossil fuels is already underway. It started with the retirement of old, dirty, coal-fired power plants. As a result, coal mining is a dying business. I believe oil will be next, driven by the growth in EV sales. Finally, natural gas will not only help the United States gain energy independence but will also be the transition fuel that leads humanity to a sustainable energy future.

THIS HIDDEN ENERGY “SOURCE” IS GROWING FASTER THAN RENEWABLES

I get puzzled looks when I ask a younger person to “dial” a number for me. I'm old enough to remember telephones with a rotary dial on the front. We had one in our house and we were even on a party line with another customer. It wasn't until the mid-1960s that we had our own dedicated telephone ...