Transmission solutions for electric grid : Short Wave - NPR

Transmission solutions for electric grid : Short Wave : NPR

Fixing our failing electric grid ... on a budget

Researchers say that advanced transmission technologies could help the existing grid work better. But some of these tech companies worry about getting utilities on board - because of the way utilities make money. Julia Simon/NPR hide caption

Researchers say that advanced transmission technologies could help the existing grid work better. But some of these tech companies worry about getting utilities on board - because of the way utilities make money. Julia Simon/NPR

The climate crisis demands replacing fossil fuels with green energy quickly, but thousands of wind and solar projects are looking at several-year wait times to get connected to transmission lines. To reach the country's goals to sharply cut planet-warming pollution, the U.S. needs to expand transmission capacity by 43% by 2035, according to the REPEAT Project led by Princeton University. But building those new transmission lines will take time, and billions of dollars.

With this in mind, some tech companies are finding solutions to make the existing grid work better.

Aaron Scott talks with NPR's climate solutions reporter Julia Simon about these solutions and how they might be a whole lot quicker — and cheaper — than you'd think.

To read Julia's full explainer, click this link.

Have an incredible science story to share? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

This story was produced by Carly Rubin. It was edited by managing producer Rebecca Ramirez, Berly McCoy and Amina Khan. Julia Simon checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.