For example,
Convince me… | technology will new: Meanwhile. Moreover,
Convince me… | technology will:
Will we get out of the climate crisis by inventing new machines and creating new technologies? Similarly, David Babson, vice-president for the climate and energy of the American foundation Xprize, is convinced.
Posted at 6:00 a.m. For example,
This American based in Boston. For example. In addition, who held various positions in the United States government, was a recently passing to Montreal as part of the Climatic Solutions Prize Festival. Furthermore, I took the opportunity to meet the iron with him.
Isn’t technology a flight forward? For example, A way to push our convince me… | technology will new problems. Meanwhile. to make us believe that we do not need to convince me… | technology will modify our lifestyles to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions? For example, These are some of the questions I had for him.
I discovered a combative interlocutor, who is not afraid of saying things that bother. Furthermore, This idea that we should live more soberly to limit our programs, for example, he does not believe it.
“I still want to have the opportunity to take the plane to go skiing in Europe. For example, going on vacation to Mexico,” he says. Moreover, And it is impossible to do this in an economy that displays a negative carbon assessment unless you produce. Furthermore, fuel for zero emission aircraft. Furthermore, »»
Its point: it is therefore necessary to innovate and create such fuels. In convince me… | technology will new addition, And this is exactly the kind of idea that Xprize supports. Furthermore, an convince me… | technology will organization that launches competitions intended to stimulate innovation in specific fields.
Xprize became known with his first competition. Nevertheless, launched in 1996, which promised 10 million US dollars to anyone who managed to design a reusable spacecraft. Therefore, The initiative has greatly contributed to launching a private space industry which today has actors like Virgin Galactic. Nevertheless, SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Today, Xprize also launches competitions in the fields of climate, energy, biodiversity and conservation. Meanwhile, The non -polluting aircraft is precisely in the Xprize boxes.
The fact remains that in the meantime, such a plane does not exist. Do those who decide to limit their trips by plane therefore do the only thing in their power to. reduce convince me… | technology will new their emissions?
“So much the better for them,” replied David Babson. convince me… | technology will But I will never do it. »»
“There is this vision according to which it is less often to pump the flush. take cold showers, less flying,” he continues. On the contrary, I think we can have everything. The reason why I push for these innovations is that I want for the future an economy of abundance. greater prosperity. »»
Photo Robert Skinner. the press
The vice-president of climate. energy at Xprize, David Babson
Among the projects supported or considered by Xprize, there is nuclear merger. Mastering this different technology from fission. convince me… | technology will new currently used in nuclear power plants. would convince me… | technology will make it possible to produce clean energy in practically infinite quantity. The catch: even if progress is made, the human being breaks his teeth on this technology since the 1940s. There is no idea when nuclear fusion would be ready to be used, not to mention its economic viability.
Xprize also launched a competition intended to reward those who invent machines capable of removing. CO2 Air – a project also supported by Quebecer Frédéric Lalonde. his company Deep Sky. For the moment, these devices consume astronomical quantities of energy for modest gains.
Xprize also wants to launch a competition to develop ways to capture methane which escapes vast places like wetlands.
I remind David Babson that climate emergency is now. Do we really have the luxury convince me… | technology will new of waiting for these inventions to be ready?
He replied that Xprize is aware of the climatic emergency. is precisely modifying the architecture of its prices so that the developed technologies can be quickly funded and set up.
This could in particular be done by involving investors wishing to deploy technologies in price financing.
I launch the word “bet” to my interlocutor. In Canada. for example. the federal government is largely placed on the fact that it will one day be possible for the petroleum industry to capture and sequester the carbon it produces to justify the fact of letting it extract more oil and gas.
Isn’t that proof of the danger of betting on technology?
“It seems to me to be a political problem. And I’m American. so convince me… | technology will new I have bigger problems convince me… | technology will with politicians than you, “replies David Babson while I laugh.
It is necessary to tell the petroleum industry that it cannot escape its obligations. She must cap her shows and pay for these programs. Carbon capture is something distinct.
David Babson
I admit that I start to love what I hear.
“These things are not in opposition,” he said. It is not: we develop technologies or we reduce our programs. You have to do both. »»
David Babson. however, has harsh words for Europe which, according to him, put too much on regulations to reach its environmental targets. He prefers the American approach based on financial incentives, technology and market strength.
“The European convince me… | technology will new state of convince me… | technology will mind is much more pessimistic,” he observes. Europeans are much more inclined to list all the reasons why you can not do something than to find. a way to let you do this thing. »»
Our discussion gets dressed in a war of figures as to which approach works best. I can only cite statistics from the Our World in data site1. Since 1990, the European Union has reduced its 36 % emissions, compared to only 5 % in the United States. (Canada, during the same period, increased them by 1 %).
“We absolutely need new technologies,” insists David Babson. And the solution lies in the alignment of these technologies with the markets. »»
1. Consult our World in Data paintings on GHG shows (in English)
Verdict
Make no mistake: I am delighted to see Xprize stimulate innovation in the fields of climate and energy. If we want to one day reach carbonutrality. even negative emissions, we will need machines that remove the CO2 air. Nuclear fusion is a hell of a beautiful dream that must be continued. And how to oppose a price to be granted to stimulate the restoration of coral reefs. like the one that Xprize offers? I like when David Babson claims that innovation should not be put in opposition to the reduction of emissions. I admit. however. to be a little shocked when I intend to contest the idea that it is imperative to review our lifestyles if we want to attenuate the climate crisis. That, the intergovernmental group of experts on climate evolution (IPCC) hammered it for a long convince me… | technology will new time. Take advantage of technology convince me… | technology will to continue to consume excessively both goods and energy? I still see there magic thought, an escape, not to say a dangerous denial.
Who is David Babson?
- Vice-president for the climate. energy of the American Foundation XPrize
- Ex-director of the climate Grand Challenges Initiative du MIT
- Directed a research agency (Advanced Research Projects Agency) within the United States Department of Energy
- Former adviser to the chief scientist in the United States Department of Agriculture
- Holder of a doctorate in chemical engineering at Rutgers University, New Jersey, and postdoctorats of the Biotechnology Institute of the University of Minnesota and US Naval Research Laboratory
Convince me… | technology will new
Convince me… | technology will
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