Are We Doing Decarbonization Totally the Wrong Way?

Odd Lots

The cost of solar has been plunging for years. Everyday there's a new headline about growing installation of renewables or batteries, or some other sign of progress when it comes to decarbonization. But there's still a long way to go and, in the meantime, the US continues to add new fossil fuel generation. So is there something wrong with the mechanisms we're using to change our energy mix? On this episode, we're speaking with Brett Christophers. He's a professor at Uppsala University and the author of the new book The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save The Planet. His basic argument is that using market-based mechanisms will conflict with the imperative to clean the grid and that the incentives aren't aligned for both goals. We discuss the economics of clean energy production, and why they don't lend themselves to a rapid buildout.

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