Sustainability by numbers

Sustainability by numbers explores environmental solutions through a data-driven lens, covering energy efficiency, renewable resources, and the transition to low-carbon technologies. It addresses climate change impacts, the benefits of electric vehicles, and the efficiency of meat substitutes, advocating for an evidence-based approach to environmental sustainability.

Environmental Sustainability Renewable Energy Electric Vehicles Energy Efficiency Climate Change Agricultural Practices Low-Carbon Technologies

The hottest Substack posts of Sustainability by numbers

And their main takeaways

Low-carbon energy does not have the same energy security risks as fossil fuels

284 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Minerals Transition Security Geopolitics
  1. Low-carbon energy is more secure compared to fossil fuels due to different risk factors.
  2. Fossil fuel supplies pose an energy security risk due to being fuels that can be cut off or become expensive, impacting a country's energy security.
  3. Mineral inequities for clean energy transition are a separate issue, as expensive minerals may slow down the transition but do not impact the operation of existing technologies.

Many people don't know that nuclear power is low-carbon

301 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🔬 Science Energy Public Opinion Demographics Communication
  1. Many people are unaware that nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy, leading to confusion between renewables and nuclear power.
  2. Surveys show that there is a lack of understanding regarding the low-carbon nature of nuclear energy, with less than half of the public recognizing it as such.
  3. Demographics play a role in this confusion, with older individuals and men more likely to correctly identify nuclear power as low-carbon compared to younger individuals and women.

My book is published today!

545 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Environmental Issues
  1. The book offers a data-driven look at environmental problems and how to solve them with a cautiously hopeful tone.
  2. It promotes urgent optimism in tackling solvable environmental issues relying on focused human effort and data-driven solutions.
  3. The book covers various environmental challenges and highlights the interconnected solutions to address them.
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China is building more coal plants but might burn less coal

201 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Emissions Renewable Energy Environmental Impact
  1. China is constructing more coal plants, but they might end up burning less coal by running those plants less frequently.
  2. Despite the increase in coal plant construction, China's coal plants are operating at lower capacity factors, indicating a trend towards burning less coal in the future.
  3. Many of China's coal plants are operating at a financial loss due to high coal prices, and the country is shifting towards using coal as 'peaker plants' as renewable energy sources grow.

What do Americans use electricity for?

75 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
🔬 Science Energy Electricity Renewable Energy Data Analysis
  1. American households primarily use electricity for heating, cooling, and controlling humidity.
  2. Future challenges in energy demand will revolve around balancing supply and demand, particularly for temperature control like heating and cooling.
  3. Electricity consumption is dominated by heating, cooling, and humidity control in households, highlighting the importance of efficient solutions in this area.

How many birds do wind farms kill?

246 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment
  1. Wind farms kill fewer birds compared to other hazards like cars, buildings, and cats.
  2. Bird deaths from fossil fuels are difficult to quantify, but climate change plays a significant role.
  3. Wind power poses a greater threat to specific bird species, like birds of prey, as well as to bats.

We have enough minerals for the energy transition, but medium-term supply is a challenge [Part 2]

150 implied HN points • 07 Dec 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Minerals Energy transition Supply Recycling
  1. Short- and medium-term supply of minerals for the energy transition is a challenge that requires increased recycling, substitution, mining, and refining capacity.
  2. The time it takes to discover new mineral deposits, open mines, and scale up refining capacity can create bottlenecks in the short- and medium-term.
  3. To meet the growing mineral demand by 2030, there is a need to accelerate new mine openings, build refining capacity, and ensure strong environmental and social oversight.

The low-carbon energy transition will need less mining than fossil fuels, even when adjusted for waste rock

201 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy transition Mining Recycling
  1. Low-carbon energy transition requires less mining than fossil fuels, even when accounting for waste rock.
  2. Material requirements for low-carbon technologies are still lower than current mining requirements for fossil fuels.
  3. Electrification for vehicles will increase material requirements, but overall material needs will decrease with an energy transition.

Can solar and wind power Britain? An update of David MacKay’s numbers

211 implied HN points • 30 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy
  1. Renewable energy costs have significantly decreased since 2008, making solar and wind power more feasible for Britain.
  2. There is a growing potential for solar and wind energy to meet Britain's energy demand with more efficient technology and public support.
  3. An update of David MacKay's 2008 numbers shows that solar and wind resources could surpass energy demand in Britain, even considering land requirements.

The world has enough minerals for low-carbon electricity

178 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Minerals Electricity Greenhouse Gases Supply Chains Renewable Energy
  1. There are enough minerals for low-carbon electricity systems, but issues may arise with mine construction and geopolitical risks.
  2. Most materials needed for decarbonization are available, with demand being a small fraction of global reserves for the majority of minerals.
  3. Building low-carbon electricity infrastructure will require some increase in global production, but the embedded carbon emissions are relatively low compared to using fossil fuels.

Biofuels: the US could switch to electric cars and solar power on just a fraction of the land

296 implied HN points • 05 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Sustainability Renewables Transportation Land use
  1. Growing biofuels in the US is a poor use of land, especially when solar energy needs much less land and could power the country three times over.
  2. Biofuels may not have as positive an impact on the environment as initially assumed, with some studies suggesting they could increase emissions.
  3. Switching from biofuels to solar power for electric cars in the US could significantly reduce land use and still meet transportation needs.

My TED Talk is now live

241 implied HN points • 22 Sep 23
🔬 Science Environment Health Data Renewables Agriculture
  1. We can improve human wellbeing while tackling environmental problems together.
  2. Global progress has been made in reducing child mortality and extreme poverty.
  3. Transitioning to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, is becoming more affordable and can help combat air pollution.

Net-zero: it’s not just where you end up, but how you get there that matters

218 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets Emissions Reduction
  1. The path countries take to reach net-zero emissions is crucial, not just the end goal.
  2. Delaying emissions cuts can lead to steeper reductions later, making it technically difficult and politically unpopular.
  3. Early investment in low-carbon technologies is crucial for reducing costs and driving global emission reductions.

How much does aviation contribute to climate change? How will this change in the future?

208 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Aviation Global Emissions Energy Efficiency Future Trends
  1. Aviation contributes around 3% of global emissions and is a challenging sector to decarbonize.
  2. Global passenger demand for flying has quadrupled since 1990.
  3. Future aviation emissions will depend on changes in demand, energy efficiency improvements, and adoption of low-carbon technologies.

Anger, sadness, guilt, hope: on the complex emotions of climate change

238 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Emotions Climate change Hope Activism Research
  1. Researchers are uncertain about which emotion is most effective in driving climate action.
  2. Emotions in response to climate change vary and are likely a combination of concern, anger, sadness, and hope.
  3. Pairing emotions like concern, anger, and sadness with hope can be vital for motivating action towards addressing climate change.

The future of low-carbon heating is heat pumps

261 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency Carbon Emissions Green Technology Government Policy
  1. Heat pumps are around 4 times more efficient than gas boilers, reducing heating emissions close to zero.
  2. Switching to heat pumps reduces gas demand even if all electricity comes from gas, making them effective in cutting emissions.
  3. Heat pumps are much more efficient than hydrogen for heating, requiring far less electricity to operate.

How much more electricity will the UK need to switch to electric vehicles?

188 implied HN points • 15 Sep 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Electric Vehicles Energy consumption Renewable Energy Energy Efficiency
  1. Fully switching to electric cars in the UK would increase electricity demand by around one-quarter.
  2. Transitioning all road transport to electric would lead to a 40% increase in electricity demand in the UK.
  3. Shifting to electric transport significantly reduces overall energy demand due to the higher efficiency of electric vehicles compared to petrol and diesel vehicles.

If the UK has lots of renewables, why do electricity prices follow gas prices?

206 implied HN points • 15 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewables Green Energy Market Dynamics
  1. Electricity prices follow gas prices because the most expensive source that needs to be turned on at any given time, usually gas, sets the price.
  2. In many electricity markets, the price is determined by the most expensive source that has to be turned on to meet demand, known as the marginal price.
  3. To lower electricity prices, there needs to be lower demand or an increase in renewable and nuclear energy sources to reduce the need for more expensive sources like natural gas.

No, the world is not going to pass its 1.5°C warming target in the next few years

276 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate targets
  1. The world is not expected to exceed the 1.5°C warming target in the next few years, but it serves as a warning of future warming trends.
  2. A temporary temperature rise above 1.5°C could occur due to factors like ongoing global warming and El Niño phases.
  3. Exceeding 1.5°C temporarily does not mean the Paris Agreement target has been crossed; long-term warming trends are crucial in climate change impacts.

Are plant-based milks healthier or less nutritious than cow’s milk?

241 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Plant-based Dairy Vitamins
  1. Plant-based milks are generally lower in calories, saturated fat, and protein compared to cow's milk.
  2. Soy milk is an exception, containing a similar amount of total protein and considered a 'high-quality' protein source.
  3. Not all plant-based milks are good protein sources, especially for infants and young children, as they may lack essential amino acids needed for proper growth and development.

Are meat substitutes really better for the environment than meat?

180 implied HN points • 28 Nov 22
  1. Meat substitutes generally have a lower carbon footprint than meat, especially beef and lamb.
  2. Meat substitutes are also more environmentally friendly compared to meat from the US or Europe.
  3. Companies should provide transparent environmental data to support claims about the benefits of meat substitutes.

Welcome to 'Sustainability by numbers'

150 implied HN points • 20 Nov 22
  1. Sustainability by numbers focuses on using data and research to build a sustainable world.
  2. The approach is inspired by David MacKay's book 'Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air.'
  3. Clear communication of data and research is crucial for understanding and promoting sustainability.

Eating local is still not a good way to reduce the carbon footprint of your diet

140 implied HN points • 05 Dec 22
  1. The type of food you eat matters more for your carbon footprint than where it comes from.
  2. Transport is a small part of food emissions, with international shipping being more carbon-efficient than trucks and planes.
  3. The recent study overestimates food transport emissions and 'eating locally' isn't an effective way to reduce carbon footprint.

Global per capita CO₂ emissions have (still) peaked

100 implied HN points • 20 Nov 22
  1. Global per capita CO2 emissions have already peaked, probably around a decade ago.
  2. A peak in per capita emissions signals that a peak in total emissions is on its way.
  3. The decrease in per capita emissions indicates progress in living with fewer emissions, but faster action is still needed to reduce total emissions.