Why We Underestimate Clean Energy Cost Declines

Why We Underestimate Clean Energy Cost Declines

In 2010, solar modules cost a little over $2 per watt. Many people questioned whether solar costs could come down another 50%.

Well, here we are today with solar modules well below 50 cents per watt, far cheaper than most expectations. And it wasn’t some breakthrough revolutionary technology -- it’s been the crystalline-silicon solar panel the whole time.

History has a tendency to repeat itself. Our guest, Jessika Trancik, an associate professor at MIT’s the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, published research earlier this month showing, quantitatively, that lithium-ion batteries have been repeating history and get cheaper, faster, than nearly anyone anticipated.

This matters because it could happen again. The obvious next candidate is hydrogen electrolysis, where experts are saying we might be able to reach the promised land of $1 per kilogram by the end of this decade.

Jessika and Shayle dug into her findings around batteries to see what broader lessons we could learn. We also talked about some other, related and fascinating research she’s done to examine what it will take to reach mass-market EV adoption.

The Interchange is brought to you by Smarter Grid Solutions, a leading enterprise energy management software company. Find out how Smarter Grid Solutions’ software can give you real control over your clean energy assets.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Avsnitt(342)

Flexibility as a service: Can Octopus's acquisition of Uplight finally make US residential VPPs work?

Flexibility as a service: Can Octopus's acquisition of Uplight finally make US residential VPPs work?

Millions of enrolled devices, 60 utilities, and the participation rate gap that's been embarrassing the US market for a decade. US residential virtual power plants have been a promising idea that's co...

7 Apr 45min

The muscle we forgot: SMRs, hyperscalers, and why this nuclear renaissance might actually be different

The muscle we forgot: SMRs, hyperscalers, and why this nuclear renaissance might actually be different

Why nuclear has never been project financed and how that might finally be about to change.Every nuclear plant ever built has ultimately been backstopped by taxpayers or ratepayers. Not because the tec...

24 Mars 56min

The grid nobody planned for: public power, hyperscalers and the race to rewire America for the AI age

The grid nobody planned for: public power, hyperscalers and the race to rewire America for the AI age

What two decades of flat demand means for a grid now expected to double in sizeThe US went from essentially zero load growth for twenty years to 3% national growth almost overnight. The supply chains,...

10 Mars 1h 4min

Is hyperscaler demand finally giving CCS its moment?

Is hyperscaler demand finally giving CCS its moment?

Carbon capture and storage has long been framed as a clean technology that’s forever five years away. Bridget van Dorsten speaks with Tim Vail, CEO of ION Clean Energy, to explore why a surge in AI da...

24 Feb 47min

Building the plane while it’s flying: data centers, utilities, and the new rules of power

Building the plane while it’s flying: data centers, utilities, and the new rules of power

After more than a decade of flat demand, the US power sector is now facing explosive growth, arriving faster than grids, generation, and transmission can be built. In this episode, Interim host of Int...

10 Feb 44min

Fuel cells are powering AI data center demand: they’ve moved from interesting clean tech to major player. How are utilities using them?

Fuel cells are powering AI data center demand: they’ve moved from interesting clean tech to major player. How are utilities using them?

US data centre announcements are averaging 435MW a month, and there’s around 175GW of large-load capacity already committed or under construction. AI hyperscalers are looking for innovative ways to me...

27 Jan 43min

AI, and the battle for energy in 2026. What clean energy sources are going to meet demand?

AI, and the battle for energy in 2026. What clean energy sources are going to meet demand?

AI is changing the energy system faster than almost anything we’ve seen in decades. Interim host, engineer and energy analyst Bridget Van Dorsten is joined by Ed Crooks, host of Energy Gang and Vice-c...

13 Jan 29min

How are key renewable energies faring at the end of 2025? Guest host and energy analyst Bridget van Dorsten talks through developments in geothermal, hydrogen and wind.

How are key renewable energies faring at the end of 2025? Guest host and energy analyst Bridget van Dorsten talks through developments in geothermal, hydrogen and wind.

At the start of the year things were looking uncertain for nascent renewables like hydrogen and geothermal. With policy support from the previous US administration they had boomed with the IRA, then c...

2 Dec 202537min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

framgangspodden
varvet
badfluence
svd-tech-brief
rss-jossan-nina
rss-borsens-finest
uppgang-och-fall
avanzapodden
bathina-en-podcast
rss-svart-marknad
fill-or-kill
lastbilspodden
borsmorgon
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
tabberaset
rss-dagen-med-di
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
24fragor
affarsvarlden
rss-den-nya-ekonomin