Grid should be on the decarbonization radar

By Mary Ewers, Los Alamos National Laboratory

In the push to decarbonize the economy throughout the Intermountain West and beyond, the public conversation often centers on wind and solar energy, electric cars, hydrogen power and carbon capture and storage.

The grid — the interconnected power plants, transmission lines and control centers that keep the lights on across the country — is the indispensable enabler of this future carbon-neutral electrified world. Yet the grid is often left out of the discussion.

It shouldn’t be.

Achieving this carbon-neutral future requires big changes to the grid, both in its design and overall capacity, storage and reserves as we use more electricity for everything from cars to home heating. Achieving that future also depends on science to inform the public and decision makers about the options, so they support and make the best choices at all levels, from community to state to region.

Read the rest of the story as it appeared in the Albuquerque Journal.