Replace atoms with bits of quantum information and you'll get a more or less equivalent upper limit. Even if your economy is 100% information based, you still need to store/transmit that information.
If a bit of data could be stored in a single hydrogen atom, after 1000 years of 1.03 growth 1e9 kg of hydrogen would be required (starting from 100 zetabytes today). After 2000 years you're at 1e21 kg, more or less the mass of the moon. For completeness, after 2700 we'd need the mass of the solar system in hydrogen atoms.
I agree with the article that there is a fundamental limit to growth. If I had to guess, the first limit will be the number of humans on the planet, followed by the black body radiation rate of the earth needed to stop our gizmos from overheating.
If a bit of data could be stored in a single hydrogen atom, after 1000 years of 1.03 growth 1e9 kg of hydrogen would be required (starting from 100 zetabytes today). After 2000 years you're at 1e21 kg, more or less the mass of the moon. For completeness, after 2700 we'd need the mass of the solar system in hydrogen atoms.
I agree with the article that there is a fundamental limit to growth. If I had to guess, the first limit will be the number of humans on the planet, followed by the black body radiation rate of the earth needed to stop our gizmos from overheating.