January 2023
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Avoiding the worst impacts of climate change requires achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions globally by the early 2050s, just 30 years from now. Achieving such a reduction in economy-wide emissions will require a reliable and resilient zero-emission electric system that has been expanded to support the electrification of transportation, heating, and industrial end uses, is resilient to the effects of climate change, including increasingly frequent severe weather, and remains affordable for consumers. While deployment of solar, wind, and battery storage technologies represents an essential step towards that objective, the further development of emerging technologies is also needed.
Based on a review of the literature on innovation and detailed case studies of the development of solar PV, onshore wind, and nuclear generation, we present a framework for evaluating emerging clean energy technologies and potential interventions aimed at accelerating their development.
This report is designed to help guide corporate energy buyers seeking to accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies that will be needed to achieve a reliable, zero-emission electric system. A companion report, Strategies for Investing in Clean Energy Technologies, describes proven and novel ways to support the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. Together, these reports address how energy buyers can accelerate the development and availability of technologies that currently are not widely available or economically competitive but may be needed to achieve a low carbon energy future. |
