If the United States is to reach its 2030 climate change target, carbon reductions across all sectors of the economy, including accelerated electrification, will be crucial, according to a new analysis by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
Coming on the heels of Congress advancing a bill calling for more than US$1 trillion in infrastructure development, the EPRI report conveys what it could take to achieve the US interim goal based on detailed modelling of economic pathways by the non-profit research and development organisation, along with its analysis of numerous third-party studies. Key findings include:
- Achieving the 2030 US goal means tripling the recent pace of decarbonisation.
- Electricity use increases by up to 23% as economy-wide dependence on clean electricity grows.
- As the electric system expands to support the clean energy economy, overall energy costs decline for many households.
EPRI President and CEO, Arshad Mansoor, said: “While achieving bold US carbon goals is possible, realising this vision affordably and reliably means leveraging all technology solutions at our disposal, growing supply chains and skilled labour and accelerating innovation, regulatory, permitting and other processes to enable action.”