Thinking About Climate Reparations – CleanTechnica

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I’ve been occupied with the concept that some folks suggest that america and some different international locations which emit greenhouse gases in excessive quantities ought to pay reparations to folks in undeveloped international locations. It actually appears like a horrible thought, however I’ve been occupied with it anyway.

I used to be a part of a technology that basically knew America was near excellent. President Eisenhower was as near excellent as a person may very well be. American companies all operated ethically. Electrical energy price 3¢ per kilowatt-hour and possibly at all times would. It was nice, being six within the best nation that had ever come into being.

After all, President Eisenhower warned us in regards to the “military industrial complex.” And I knew, regardless of the loud opinions of my classmates, that there have been Indians who have been each good and alive, as a result of I had knew a very nice American Indian lady. In reality, I knew our remedy of some races was horrible. And since I had memorized the lyrics of the Tennessee Ernie Ford track “Sixteen Tons,” I knew that in our previous, leaders of some firms have been actually horrible too. Aside from Andrew Carnegie.

Nonetheless, the concept that we would even consider making reparations for our releases of greenhouse gases fills me with horror. I might be certain it was from some socialist, leftist crazies, if I hadn’t been satisfied that local weather change was occurring quick sufficient to be harmful.

I began my ideas with a query: What if we designed a package that might be the idea for a photo voltaic microgrid?

It must be modular, so any variety of units may very well be mixed to make a neighborhood photo voltaic array. We may restrict its price to $1,000 and nonetheless have or not it’s helpful. Since that’s the price per unit of a big buy of products, it could be properly beneath wholesale. It needs to be sufficient to supply a significant quantity of photo voltaic capability, a charger, an inverter, and a battery. The price needs to be sufficient to incorporate a pc and a monitor — I paid underneath $100 retail for a brand new laptop that was highly effective sufficient to surf that internet (slowly), together with a monitor. Additionally, every little thing within the package must be constructed within the US. And at last, what if we gave these away to anybody who needs one, in any nation that permits us to provide them away.

I believe america may purchase a billion such kits to provide away. Please don’t gag. I do know that’s $1 trillion. However it is just a fifth of what congress allotted to battle COVID. After all, we have now to watch out as a result of, “A trillion here, a trillion there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money,” to paraphrase former Senator Everett Dirksen. (He initially mentioned “billion.”)

However what would the consequences be?

1. America could be a hero to lots of people, particularly in Africa, the place a majority of the units may go.
2. American firms may open up international markets the place folks by no means had electrical energy earlier than.
3. We may ship units to anybody who needed them in Ukraine, so Russian bombing of the ability traces would have a lot much less impact on harmless folks.
4. We might be capable to look China squarely within the eye.
5. Some international locations would refuse to allow us to distribute units, however they must clarify to their poor folks why they did so. That may be good PR for the US.
6. We might construct up the industries within the US to make the elements of the set. Which means extra American firms making photovoltaics, batteries, inverters, chargers, and so forth.
7. Electrical energy costs may very well be lowered for a lot of of our folks in want.
8. For some folks within the US, the units would offer their first electrical energy. We would consider the Navajo and different tribal teams right here.
9. There could be a lot of 1000’s of jobs could be created within the US. I might guess the quantity to be lots of of 1000’s of jobs.
10. We might enhance resilience in lots of communities within the US and elsewhere.
11. For each business that’s making elements, there could be a discount in costs (Wright’s Regulation).
12. We might make issues on this nation that are actually being obtained elsewhere. Pc chips come to thoughts. This might make us extra resilient.
13. We would really make some headway on local weather change.
14. There’s most likely much more, however I’ve run out of steam.

Now I want to ask the readers: We all know exactly what all this might price. What do you suppose it could all be price?

Picture: Somewhat electrical energy is a complete lot higher than none in any respect. Picture from USAID in Africa through Wikimedia Commons.