The dire predictions
concerning the probable impact of climate change on ecosystems, ocean-levels,
and food-production, as well as on our species itself have understandably been
made without taking into account the countervailing impact of technology yet to
be invented. Instead, the focus has been on governmental, rather than business,
efforts aimed at reducing carbon emissions. This too is understandable, as
companies have consistently been oriented to their own profits rather than
reducing externalized costs, such as pollution. This focus has left the element
of technological innovation or invention out of the equation. Moreover, because
it is not possible to predict whether our species will have invented technology
in time for it to counter the predicted impacts of climate change, relying on
such technology so as to obviate the need to act so as to limit or reduce
carbon emissions would be foolish and reckless. Put another way, it was
irresponsible as of 2020 at least to say that government restrictions on carbon
emissions were not necessary because technology will be invented that will
substantially reduce emissions or even remove the excess carbon from the
atmosphere. This does not mean that such inventions will not be made in time to
make a significant positive impact. It is indeed possible, moreover, that our
species, homo sapiens, will be saved
by its own knowledge after all, even though we do not seem capable of regulating
the innate desire for instant gratification even if the species’ survival lies
in the balance. An invention by Heliogen in 2019 was such a breakthrough that
it was arguably the first invention capable of giving people such hope. That
is, the step-forward represented by the invention was such that people at the
time could hope that the most noxious future impacts of climate change might
not be inevitable.
Heliogen, a clean-energy
company, announced in November, 2019 that artificial intelligence and a field
of mirrors could be used together to significantly reduce greenhouse emissions
by industry. The invention could generate extreme heat above 1,000 degrees
Celsius—a temperature that is about a quarter of that which is on the surface
of the Sun. “The breakthrough means that, for the first time, concentrated
solar energy can be used to create the extreme heat required to make cement,
steel, glass and other industrial processes. In other words, carbon-free
sunlight can replace fossil fuels in a heavy carbon-emitting corner of the
economy that has been untouched by the clean energy revolution.”[1]
These industries were “responsible for more than a fifth of global emissions,
according to the EPA.”[2]
Accordingly, Soon-Shiong, who sat at the time on the Heliogen board, said, “The
potential to humankind is enormous . . .
The potential to business is unfathomable.”[3]
Such statements have been unusual, to say the least. They connote hope even
beyond their particular instance because they show that such breakthroughs are indeed
possible. Indeed, more such breakthroughs would still be necessary to stave off
the feared effects of climate change.
Bill Gates, founder of
Microsoft, was an early backer of Heliogen. He characterized the invention as “a
promising development in the quest to one day replace fossil fuel.”[4]
As laudable as this, as well as a titan’s investment in such a widely
beneficial venture, is, replacing fossil fuel does not reduce the accumulated carbon (and methane) in the atmosphere. At 410
ppm, the carbon in the Earth’s atmosphere was already highly problematic from
the standpoint of eventual harm to the planet. At least at the time of Heliogen’s
invention, it would do nothing to reduce carbon that had or would enter the
atmosphere (or the oceans). Ultimately, staving off climate change due to
carbon emissions would entail extracting carbon
(and methane) from the atmosphere and oceans.
Therefore, the breakthrough itself was not
enough to relieve governments and businesses from pressure to drastically
reduce carbon emissions. Indeed, carbon would continue to accumulate in the
atmosphere from the cement and steel industries before the full implementation of
the ovens (and storage for rainy days), as well as from business more generally
in which the new technology is not applicable. Methane would still be emitted
from permafrost as it melts at northern latitudes. In short, the breakthrough
could be expected to reduce the emission of carbon while the remaining
emissions increase the accumulated carbon in the atmosphere and oceans. Even so,
the sheer existence of one breakthrough pertaining to climate change can give
us hope that other breakthroughs, even pertaining to reducing accumulated carbon and methane, will
happen even if we could not factor them in.
1. Matt Egan, “Secretive
Energy Startup Backed by Bill Gates Achieves Solar Breakthrough,” CNN
Business, November 19, 2019.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
