Volts The energy transition's 5 supervillains and 5 superheroes
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May 1, 2024 Longtime clean-energy analyst Michael Liebreich discusses causes for pessimism and optimism in the net-zero transition. Highlights include challenges in replacing fossil fuel backup systems, expanding electricity infrastructure, political obstacles, technological advancements like battery technology, and the importance of redefining energy efficiency.
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Clean Energy Economics
- The economics of clean energy are more complex than simple cost comparisons of wind and solar.
- Resilience, the price of natural gas, and higher capital costs in the developing world pose challenges.
Electricity Gauntlet
- Electrifying everything requires a massive grid expansion, which is currently a major bottleneck.
- Building more grid infrastructure is difficult due to lack of resources and not-in-my-backyard resistance.
Exponential Growth
- Clean energy technologies often create new markets and applications as they improve and become cheaper.
- Unconstrained growth models may reveal surprisingly cheap energy solutions in the future.