A new study shows that the United States could shutter coal-fired power plants by 2030, maintain a steady power supply—and save billions of dollars. The country has more than enough clean renewable energy capacity to replace the coal-fired power stations. The challenge: How to move electricity generated by the sun or wind over long distances without losing too much of it in the process. The study offers an existing solution: High-voltage direct current can carry power across long distances more efficiently than alternating current, the standard power transmission mode in the US. Utilities could add direct-current infrastructure to alternating-current transmission lines over the next 15 years as part of planned updates and upgrades without breaking the bank, according to the study.
US can make fast shift to clean energy and save billions, new study says
More of Today's Solutions
How this city in Illinois plans to stop homelessness by the end of the year
Less than a decade ago, more than 700 people were homeless in the small, 150,000 person city of Rockford, Illinois, about 90 miles northwest ...
Read MoreThis map shows what Indigenous land you live on
If you’ve attended a virtual lecture or presentation lately you may have noticed that the speakers initiated the event with an acknowledgment of which ...
Read MoreMore on beavers and rewilding
We decided to dust off and update this innovative solution to restoring habitats with the most industrious aquatic mammal: beavers. At The Optimist Daily, ...
Read More9 driving changes you can make to save more and burn less
Gas prices keep going up. While many of us can’t yet afford an electric vehicle, and we still need to get places, there are ...
Read More
