While a Trump presidency couldn’t slam the brakes on the E.V. transition, it could throw enough sand in the gears to slow it down. And that might have significant consequences for the fight to stop global warming.

  • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    1
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    6 months ago

    Fuel prices halved during covid when everyone stayed home.

    All the infrastructure is in place, the fuel needs to be sold.

    Reduced demand will only reduce production of fuel from more expensive wells, like where the oil is more difficult to reach.

    • spacesatan@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      6 months ago

      Yeah but nobody retired a marginally profitable fuel refinery that became unprofitable during covid because they knew demand would return soon. The effect isn’t instantaneous, but all the infrastructure has operation and maintenance costs. With fewer overall consumers all the overhead has to go somewhere eventually.

      • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        6 months ago

        eventually

        Yeah, but I think you might be waiting longer than you imagine.

        There might be a long tail of barely profitable wells with low output, but I suspect the vast majority of current production can sustain a significant reduction in retail price and still be more profitable than simply capping the well.

        Every person that switches to an EV increases the demand for electricity and reduces the demand for fuel.