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The unstoppable rise of batteries is leading to a domino effect that puts half of global fossil fuel demand at risk (rmi.org)

submitted 9 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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The unstoppable rise of batteries is leading to a domino effect that puts half of global fossil fuel demand at risk::The unstoppable rise of batteries is leading to a domino effect that puts half of global fossil fuel demand at risk.

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[+] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Eh...

Batteries take "rare earth metals" like cobalt.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-24/cobalt-mining-in-the-congo-green-energy/100802588

There's an environmental cost, and a huge cost on a personal level to the people who mine it.

It's like if your house is burning down, but then a flood comes and puts out the fire.

Sure, the fire is out, but now your house is underwater. We're just switching one problem for another, not really solving anything

Edit:

Not sure why so many people think this comment is pro fossil fuels...

But I'm not going to repeatedly explain the very basic concept that with two bad things, one is sometimes less bad.

I really really thought people would already know that...

[-] waigl@lemmy.world 46 points 9 months ago

Batteries take “rare earth metals” like cobalt.

Some Lithium-Ion batteries use Cobalt, but many don't. Lithium-Iron-Phosphate, for example, is a popular variant without any Cobalt. There is a push going on to move to battery chemistries without Cobalt or to reduce the actual amount of Cobalt where it is still required.

[-] marx2k@lemmy.world -5 points 9 months ago

Lithium production does still take an insane amount of water to produce

[-] felbane@lemmy.world 48 points 9 months ago

Wait until you hear about the oil refining process!

[-] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

My car meme groups keep recirculating a shitty gotcha anti-EV screenshot of a post listing out how many tons of rock get processed for the minerals, the gallon-per-hour rate of the mining trucks, generators, transportation, blah blah blah as if petroleum just naturally drips put of weeds and into their gas tanks. But I guess if you dilute into the ocean and atmosphere, it doesn't really count because you can't see it.

[-] Knoxvomica@lemmy.ca 4 points 9 months ago

Or in the case of Canada, to separate oil out of the ground!

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this post was submitted on 07 Feb 2024

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