Overshoot

Population is past what current reserves can provide for in the next 80 years.

Jet Fuel (Kerosene):

• The aviation sector faces enormous challenges in electrification
• The energy density gap between jet fuel (~43 MJ/kg) and even the most advanced batteries (~2 MJ/kg) is still too vast for commercial long-haul flights
• While small electric aircraft and hybrid designs are emerging, transcontinental and international air travel will likely depend on liquid fuels for decades

Diesel:

• Critical for heavy transport (long-haul trucking, shipping, railway locomotives)
• Powers most agricultural equipment and construction machinery
• Essential for remote power generation and backup systems
• Has high energy density and excellent performance in high-torque, continuous operation applications
• • ~43 MJ/kg (megajoules per kilogram) by mass
• ~36 MJ/L (megajoules per liter) by volume

Gasoline:

• Though passenger vehicles are increasingly electrifying, gasoline remains crucial for existing vehicle fleets
• Powers small engines (lawnmowers, chainsaws, portable generators) where electrification is challenging
• Important in regions with limited electrical infrastructure
• Still offers advantages in rapid refueling and range
• • ~46 MJ/kg by mass
• ~34 MJ/L by volume

For comparison:

• Jet fuel (kerosene): ~43 MJ/kg
• Lithium-ion batteries: ~0.5-0.9 MJ/kg (practical usable energy)
• Advanced research batteries: up to ~2-3 MJ/kg (in laboratory settings)

Diesel has slightly lower energy content per kilogram than gasoline but higher energy content per liter due to its greater density. This higher volumetric energy density is one reason diesel is preferred for applications where volume is constrained and efficiency matters, such as in heavy machinery, trucks, and ships.

The roughly 15-20× advantage in energy density that liquid fuels have over even the most advanced batteries explains why they remain essential for high-energy applications where weight and volume are critical constraints.

Best practice of renewables is already close to the efficiency limits set for wind power by Betz’ Law, and for solar by the Shockley-Queisser Limit