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

toggle caption Julia Simon/NPR

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 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 . 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 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.

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