Drilled A "Green Transition"? If Only It Were That Simple
Feb 2, 2026
Jean-Baptiste Fressoz, historian and author focused on energy and consumption, challenges the neat story of a simple green transition. He traces the rise of the transition narrative, shows how energies expand together, and exposes how backstop technologies and industry influence have shaped climate solutions. Short, sharp takes on why solar and wind alone do not equal full decarbonization.
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Energies Grow In Symbiosis
- Energy sources rarely replace one another; they expand together in symbiosis rather than simple substitution.
- New fuels and technologies typically supplement existing ones, increasing overall energy use.
Wood Use Has Increased, Not Declined
- Global wood consumption rose because fossil-fuel-driven tools and inputs made wood cheaper and more productive.
- Industrial demand (paper, pulp) plus biomass plantations drove surprising increases in wood energy use.
Products Embed Multiple Fuels
- Producing oil-dependent goods (cars, roads, steel) often required large inputs of coal and other materials.
- The automobile is historically as much a coal technology as an oil one because of embedded materials and processes.
