"For decades, we've built the grid to meet peak demand, even though large portions of it sit unused for most hours of the year. It's like building an airplane that only flies with full passengers a few times a year. That excess capacity is hiding in plain sight, and new technologies give us the opportunity to unlock it."
"The power grid needs to be bigger and smarter at the same time. Underutilization of the electric grid is the reason why electricity bills are so high. In a study of 22 regional electric systems, researchers at Duke University found that most systems are handling a little more than half of what they're capable of, operating at 53% capacity on average."
American electricity costs increased 30% between 2021 and 2025, with further increases expected due to geopolitical tensions and rising data center energy demands. Google and Tesla announced a partnership with Carrier, Verrus, Span, Renew Home, and Sparkfund to form Utilize, a coalition addressing electricity affordability and grid efficiency. Research from Duke University reveals that regional electric systems operate at only 53% average capacity, indicating significant underutilization. The coalition proposes battery storage and distributed energy resources as solutions to unlock excess grid capacity and reduce costs.
Read at Fortune
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