I have a similar concern but frame it a different way. Is it not the case that the transition to renewable energy is a one-off energy penalty? Once all the generators of energy for all human activities, including the ongoing manufacture of replacement generators and energy storage, have been converted to the so-called renewable source, be it solar, wind, tide, etc., then future energy has little energy cost (and what ‘renewable’ means does have to be explored). For example, if the energy payback period for a PV panel is 5 years (the energy cost of ALL the inputs to it’s production, and I’m guessing the value) then converting all our energy to PV would incur an energy/emissions penalty of 5 years, ie we need to do it 5 years ahead of when the deadline is.
This is certainly not talked about in any discussion of renewables, and we have probably past the deadline if we think in those terms.
