• NaibofTabr
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    9 months ago

    the only difference is scale

    This is the difference that matters the most. Every type of infrastructure increases in complexity the more you try to scale it up. Complexity means more time, more resources, more people involved, and more potential for project failure. Scale is incredibly important and can’t be dismissed as a minor difference. Logistics complexity scales exponentially.

    would only need about 7 years to be ready for a 100% transition from an engineering standpoint.

    This is a pie-in-the-sky, no-unexpected-issues-will-present time estimate. There is no way this timeframe accounts for differences in geography, existing local infrastructure, available local energy generation, local market behavior, or even the feasibility of providing all of the required raw materials to the necessary locations.

    Is it even possible to acquire the amounts of copper, steel, aluminum, lithium, etc that would be needed to complete the conversion in that time frame? (never mind transport and manufacturing) Which mines and refineries have that kind of output?

    • ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.netOPM
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      9 months ago

      Those time estimates are based on the yearly increase in capacity the US is already experiencing. Unless something outside of the norm happens, like another covid, those numbers aren’t particularly outlandish, but even in a worse case scenario, 10 to 15 years is more than doable.