American industry leaders realize that the current use of natural gas and fossil fuels will lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions, and they are focusing on developing electric energy, according to Luce. As electric vehicle manufacturers gain ground, Luce said he is hopeful that such advancements will decrease the overall demand for coal.
The United States, however, has "a long way to go" to reach this goal, as renewable energy industries will likely need to grow by 20 percent in order to quickly phase out the use of natural gas and drastically decrease carbon dioxide emissions, Luce said.
"This is a ballpark range for what we need in the renewable energy sector in order to completely transition to a renewable energy future," he said.
Luce cited China as an example of positive progress in the development of the clean energy industry. In many Chinese cities, solar hot water heaters are placed on building tops, and transportation technology has advanced through energy-efficient trains, electric bikes and solar-concept cars. China has also constructed large hydropower dams in an attempt to meet renewable energy targets, according to Luce.
"These are massive facilities, and China is not shy about this," Luce said.
Luce said that wind power has also become increasingly widespread in recent years, and that he sympathizes with those worried about the environmental impact of wind turbines. One major concern is the effect on mountain landscapes, since turbines stand significantly above the mountain line. The mountainous land would need to be raised since huge amounts of earth will be displaced in creating the space for the turbine platforms, Luce said.
Vermont, for example, would require over 150 miles of land lined with turbines in order to function solely on wind power, according to Luce. The turbines would span roughly the entire state, which is only 159 miles long, Luce said.
Such a ridgeline would seriously harm the local economy by devastating eco-tourism, Luce said. Unspoiled scenery in a state like Vermont would completely disappear with the construction of wind farms, Luce said.
Infrasonic noise, or low frequency sound waves from wind generators, has also impacted the health of wildlife living near such power sources, according to Luce. Bird and bat mortality rates have increased in areas where turbines have been built, and further construction might drive other wildlife such as bears, moose and deer off the mountains, Luce said.
Although the United States must keep environmental concerns in mind, it should not abandon wind power as it looks toward renewable energy, Luce said.
"If this is a resource to develop, then we must use all ridges, because even using all possible ridges doesn't get us fully to the goal," he said.
Luce acknowledged that the shift toward renewable energy must stem from environmental concerns and not necessity because there is currently no lack of fossil fuels, he said.
"This is not a necessity driven by scarcity," Luce said. "But I don't advocate continuing the use of coal despite the fact there's a lot left." Mountaintop removal mining, which destroyed over 300 Appalachian mountains, is just one example of the many consequences of fossil fuel usage, Luce said.
Saline aquifers, which pump carbon dioxide waste deep into the ground to make a "big soda bottle of pressurized carbon dioxide," can also cause devastating accidental releases, Luce said.
The lecture was sponsored by the Dickey Center Institute of Arctic Studies and the Dartmouth Coalition on Climate Change.
