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The switch from a fuel-intensive to a material-intensive system.

Roger B

A very succinct description of the problems facing us from E+T.

https://eandt.theiet.org/2025/05/13/electric-building-materials-short-supply

“Solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays and wind farms do not require fuel to operate, but they generally require more materials – including harder-to-find critical minerals and rare earths – to construct than polluting power stations. According to the IEA, an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a gas-fired plant of the same capacity, while a typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car.”

Parents

  • For those with long memories we had serious shortages of Copper and Nickel in the late 1950's.

    It caused the valve/tube manufactures to change out of Nickel anodes.

    Also houses built in that time frame started  using Aluminium wire in place of copper wire, when ever possible .

    Peter Brooks

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  • For those with long memories we had serious shortages of Copper and Nickel in the late 1950's.

    It caused the valve/tube manufactures to change out of Nickel anodes.

    Also houses built in that time frame started  using Aluminium wire in place of copper wire, when ever possible .

    Peter Brooks

Children
  • in reply to Peter Brooks

    The whole reason for using up materials so quickly is because the world population is doubling every 20 years.  We need to have 2 kids per family only, thus reducing the 50% of energy and material costs buildings need and reducing the CO2 emissions that are causing global warming and the refugee crisis.

    Alberta G8 summit in June must have number 1 priority on agenda.
    Why are they not talking about the population explosion causing climate change.
    Free contraception not just free medical and food aid; could be a start.
  • in reply to CliveS

    Hello Clive:

    I am sorry to say that you are barking up the wrong tree. The worlds population is actually declining, I suggest you read the latest United Nations World Fertility 2024 Report (71 pages).

    un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/undesa_pd_2025_wfr_2024_final.pdf

    There is also a problem with China total population being seriously over counted (closer to 400 million not 1.4 billion).

    The shortage of materials is due to increased consumption throughout the world (example even in relatively poor countries they now have cell phones).

    Peter Brooks

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