“Moving the economy from a foundation based on fossil fuels and consumption to one working on renewable energy and a more communitarian outlook is a heavy lift.”

One reason I am skeptical of the Green New Deal is I have heard any proponent offer a solution for replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy that doesn’t result in curtailment of convenience and several forms of transportation.

We need to develop a reliable energy source to generate electricity to power all of the electric devices utilized in our homes and industries. Solar power is dependent on the sun’s radiation that is reduced on cloudy days and inconsequential at night. Wind power is dependent on prevailing winds that can fluctuate significantly with varying weather conditions. The reliable power output of hydroelectric generators is dependent on a dependable water supply from its associated reservoir. Unfortunately, dams and reservoirs have some undesirable environmental impacts. Also, dams are utilized in flood control and maintaining navigable rivers. Nuclear power is an option but the federal government has been negligent in implementing a permanent waste disposal plan. What’s needed is a reliable, environment friendly, long life power source that can be scaled to meet various requirements. Hydrogen power plants have been considered because their byproducts are clean (water). Unfortunately, producing hydrogen for fuel is a polluting process. Geothermal is a potential non-polluting energy source. The U.S. Department of Energy released a report last month stating that the U.S. has a 60 Gigawatt geothermal electricity generation potential by 2050. This source should be actively pursued to replace coal and natural gas plants.

If petroleum based fuels are eliminated what will allow the continuation of aircraft and ship transportation of people and cargo?