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A 21st-century reinvention of the electric grid is crucial for solving the climate change crisis
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A 21st-century reinvention of the electric grid is crucial for solving the climate change crisis
21 January 2022
Construction21 Build UP user
Charles F. Kutscher, University of Colorado Boulder et Jeffrey Logan, University of Colorado Boulder
In the summer of 1988, scientist James Hansen testified to Congress that carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels was dangerously warming the planet. Scientific meetings were held, voluminous reports were written, and national pledges were made, but because fossil fuels were comparatively cheap, little concrete action was taken to reduce carbon emissions. Then, beginning around 2009, first wind turbines and then solar photovoltaic panels decreased enough in cost to become competitive in electricity markets.
More installations resulted in more “learning curve” cost reductions – the decrease in (...)
