The Moral Case for Renewable Energy with Andrew Dessler

 
 

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“So wind and solar are the cheapest energy sources. A grid that’s primarily wind and solar will be cheaper than a grid that’s running on fossil fuels, so the price will come down. And again, it will also be predictable, and it’ll be at a low price. And we’ll be at that low price in the long term, for decades.”
— Andrew Dessler

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Andrew Dessler is a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University. In this interview, we discuss the settled science of climate change, the polarisation of the climate change debate, our need for more energy, and the market inevitability of wind and solar-dominated grids.

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In April, WBD interviewed Alex Epstein who stated humans need access to more low-cost energy. Energy enables humans to survive in otherwise inhospitable climates but also flourish. Epstein stated that energy at the moment is dominated by fossil fuels, which are very hard to replace. Further, he asserts claims of climate change catastrophe are being overstated.

Andrew Dessler, who has previously publicly debated Alex Epstein, wanted an opportunity to rebut some of Alex Epstein’s claims. Dessler agrees that humans need access to more energy; underinvestment over previous decades has contributed to the current energy crisis. But, humans also need to be concerned about the existential risks of increasing carbon emissions.

There is widespread consensus amongst climate scientists that the science of climate change is correct, and the forecasts have been proven to be reliable. The risks are real and significant. There is a fear that attempts to refute the science feed the culture wars, where climate change views are predetermined by political allegiance.

Dessler also claims that refuting science is a cynical tactic to avoid moving the debate onto the policy. His rationale is that the case for transitioning to renewables isn’t just predicated on reducing carbon emissions, there is also a compelling economic case: it is an energy source with a marginal cost of zero. A strong supply market for solar and wind is powerful validation for this.

That’s not to say 100% of our energy needs can be derived from wind and solar. Those advocating for increased use of renewable energy are fully aware of the need for reliable dispatchable power from other energy sources. But there is a strong conviction that renewable energy can become a dominant provider for our energy needs of today and tomorrow.

TIMESTAMPS

00:03:52: Introductions
00:05:33: Bitcoin mining and the Texas grid
00:09:06: Conflicting views on climate change
00:14:40: Understanding the current energy crisis
00:25:05: Doomsday climate predictions
00:32:40: Accuracy of climate models
00:41:14: Debating the science, and the culture war
00:53:45: Government roles in mitigating climate change
01:05:02: The Green New Deal, and ESG
01:09:58: The short-term view of corporations and governments
01:14:31: Climate change impact and mitigation
01:21:43: Climate impact on global death rates
01:24:21: The economics of adaptation
01:28:55: China's transition from coal to renewables
01:32:18: ERCOT, Texas, and how a renewables grid operates
01:42:33: Costs and reliability of renewable energy
01:49:03: How renewable are renewables?
01:51:27: Restrictions on transitioning to renewable energy
01:56:34: Energy supply chain issues and wars
02:01:04: Final comments

 

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SHOW NOTES

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Mentioned in the interview:

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