The Grid, the Grid, the Grid… Why We Can’t Solve Climate Change Now
It’s the stumbling block we cannot change fast enough
Get this: “The entire electric grid in the U.S. has installed capacity of 1,250 gigawatts. There are currently 2,020 gigawatts of capacity in the interconnection queue lines around the country.” That’s the summation in this article from CNBC on the state of the US grid. Think about that. Most of those 2,020 gigawatts are from green energy projects, and it could replace our dirtiest electric generation completely. But the problem is that the grid can’t handle it. Wow.
This is and should be a scandal. These projects would give us greener energy, less expensive energy, and more reliable energy in a world where fossil fuels are becoming increasingly expensive. Think about it.
Greener Energy
Wind and solar projects are being held up by the limits of the grid. Investors? Check. Equipment? Check. Land? Check. Technology? Check. But if you build it, you can’t send it to people’s homes. Uncheck. The grid can’t do it.
In other words, people and institutions are willing to invest in green projects — solar and wind — at a level far beyond what anyone thought possible. There are already enough investor-committed projects to completely replace…
