I never mentioned hydrocarbon energy. You keep bringing it up for some reason.
> Solar, electric, batteries, etc do not even remotely come close.
I don't need them to come close. I need them to do the job, and they do it
> This line of thinking also dramatically underestimates the energy requirement to excavate dirt and rock...
here are some electric, battery powered excavators:
- https://www.volvoce.com/europe/en/products/electric-machines...
- https://www.wackerneuson.cz/en/zero-emission/electric-excava...
- https://www.komatsu.jp/en/newsroom/2023/20230721
- https://www.jcb.com/en-us/products/compact-excavators/19c-1e
- https://www.bobcat.com/na/en/equipment/excavators/compact-ex...
- https://www.volvoce.com/europe/en/products/electric-machines...
- https://www.hitachicm.com/eu/en/onsite/article/Introduction_...
- https://www.casece.com/en/europe/products/excavators/d-serie...
- https://www.kubota.com/news/2023/20231218.html
There are excavators both small and big so yes you can definetely excavate using electricity alone.
> dust storms that have already killed solar-powered rovers
Looking at list here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_rover I guess you talk about Zhurong and Opportunity? Both of these seems like success story given that they survived way longer than they were expected to..
https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/equipment/dozers/medi...
Not to mention this bulldozer still burns hydrocarbons. It uses electric drive for it's tracks - and the electricity is generated by hydrocarbons!
This line of thinking also dramatically underestimates the energy requirement to excavate dirt and rock...
Then, figure it's on another planet with dust storms that have already killed solar-powered rovers, etc.