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Comment by smallmouth | Hacker News Reader

I commute into Chicago for work and always see endless tankers in Buffett's BNSF petroleum pipeline and more coal cars than I can count. Seems like it's going to take a lot of "dirty" energy to make that clean energy. Economic and quality of life consequences be damned.

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your choices are either keep using dirty energy, or phase it out over the next 20 to 30 years. honestly, you will not have a choice as marginal demand will force weird dynamics on supply and consequently prices

Hydrogen, concentrated solar, petroleum or "something else". Everything else is an ecological and aesthetic disaster.

We have the Metra electric rail from Millennium station that goes south to University Park. I assume it's possible to electrify the other rails but I figure it's because they're shared with freight that it's harder to swing.

A lot of coal powers that line. I work in a building right next to that Metra station and have the occasion to take that ride down to Flossmoor rather frequently. Nice ride with a lot of post-apocalyptic scenery along the way. Hyde Park used to be a breath of fresh air when I was going to school there in the 80's, but not anymore.

Once the world runs on electricity, it’s future proof. It’s the a matter of gradually switching over to 100% renewable.

"Once the world runs on electricity, it’s future proof".

Hmm, ok, yeah, electricity is future proof. I agree. Buuuut what's making the electricity with enough density to guarantee your quality of life?

The entire world is in the process of building out a lot of renewable energy. China and India are in the process of building dozens of nuclear plants right now.

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