The world’s energy diet is in the midst of transformational change. Fossil fuels, a fundamental driver of progress since the Industrial Revolution, are under pressure for their role in climate change and air pollution. Advancements in clean energy generation are rapidly improving power output, and the American economy is growing its manufacturing capacity for solar photovoltaics and wind turbines, rapidly improving the financial viability for alternative energy systems compared to traditional coal and gas power plants. Converting the power grid to renewable energy sources is essential to a climate-friendly future, but it is only one part of the process.
In order to achieve the benefits of a variety of renewable energy technologies, a shared energy platform is needed where energy can be exchanged on the municipal scale to commercial buildings and residential consumers. Because electricity is the most flexible form of energy, using and supporting the current electricity system as the shared energy platform allows for all sorts of renewable energy technologies to provide heating, cooling, lighting, and energy for our processes and entertainment.