On Paul Gilding's The Great Disruption (p. 293):
"..is there a plausible scenario that could get us to a reasonable approximation of the zero-emissions world within a couple of generations? I believe there is such a scenario, viz. the solar hydrogen-plus-conservation economy, although the short name does not give sufficient emphasis to the equally important future roles of wind, tidal power, biomass, photovoltaic (PV) electricity, materials recycling, ultra-light electric vehicles, and possibly nuclear electricity. Nor does it give sufficient emphasis to the shift from “throw-away product orientation” to “lifetime service orientation” (IPS) in the manufacturing sector. Another name for the scenario could be “the spaceship economy”. However it is named, I believe this scenario is inevitable in the long run, if the world does not explode into resource wars and anarchy." And: "My core argument is that this combination of technological potential and demonstrated demand (reflecting a societal need) could trigger an industrial revolution of the first magnitude. Surprisingly, perhaps, none of the standard energy-economic forecasting models predict such a burst of creative activity" (my emphasis). A bit before: "There are no physical laws standing in the way. The major barriers are indifference, initial costs and vested interests."On the Circular Economy (p.291):
"In the ultimate spaceship (or circular) economy the material cycle would have to be closed, or nearly so. On the other hand, such an economy must be extremely energy-(exergy)-intensive. Are there enough non-polluting sources of energy? The answer is probably ‘yes’ at least in the long run."
