The U.S. can get to 90% clean electricity in just 15 years

by Adele Peters, Fast Company

Highlights

A new report from UC Berkeley shows that the falling price of renewable energy can result in the U.S. using 90% clean energy by 2035, ultimately transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2045.

• Adding new clean energy infrastructure could add up to 570,000 new jobs each year
• The Internation Renewable Energy Agency reports that since 2010, utility-scale solar power costs have dropped 82% and onshore wind costs have dropped 39%
• Sonia Aggarwal, vice president of Energy Innovation didn’t expect the grid could transition at such a fast rate:

“I didn’t expect that we were going to get 90% by 2035. It’s really exciting that this is the moment that we’ve reached in this country, where the costs have just changed so much that this is now within our reach, in a way that it wasn’t even five years ago.”

• According to the report, the addition of renewables on the grid would not result in higher electricity bills for consumers
• Federal policies that set clean energy standards are needed to make a nationwide transition from fossil fuels to renewables

The Climate Center works toward electrifying buildings and vehicles using 100% clean energy sources such as solar and wind to eliminate fossil fuel-based emissions. 

Read More: https://www.fastcompany.com/90513361/the-u-s-can-get-to-90-clean-electricity-in-just-15-years

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Nina Turner

Nina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University. She has experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism. Nina is currently the Energy Program Coordinator and produces the bi-weekly Clean Power Exchange newsletter.

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