Re:Q&A: Bill Gates on investments in energy technologies
by dredmorbius on Sunday July 24, 2016 @07:47AM
(#12153063)
I ran numbers on energy equivalence of fossil fuels to wood in a recent comment. Very roughly, a ton of coal or barrel of oil equals a cord of wood (actually somewhat more, but close enough).
Given US timber production and multiplying by five to get an estimate of global timber ... estimated fossil fuel resources are equal to about 200,000 years of global timber production.
That's a lot of wood.
Even if you're only looking at a small recoverable portion, say 10%, it's 20,000 years.
Energy translates reasonably well to carbon. There's some allowance for natural carbon sinks. But truth is we're messing with the carbon cycle in a huge way.
Given US timber production and multiplying by five to get an estimate of global timber ... estimated fossil fuel resources are equal to about 200,000 years of global timber production.
That's a lot of wood.
Even if you're only looking at a small recoverable portion, say 10%, it's 20,000 years.
Energy translates reasonably well to carbon. There's some allowance for natural carbon sinks. But truth is we're messing with the carbon cycle in a huge way.