Google.org has given the U.S. National Academies a grant for $250,000 to develop recommendations for U.S.-Chinese cooperation on renewable electricity. The 18-month study is being funded in collaboration with other U.S. sponsors and the Chinese Academies of Sciences and Engineering.
The study has three goals:
- Assess the resource potential in China and the U.S. for grid-scale electricity generation
- Explore near-term market opportunities for mature technologies
- Recommend priorities for enhanced collaboration, with a focus on cost reduction, improved efficiency and grid connectivity, and storage
By focusing on grid-scale electricity generation, the study will give special attention to three major resources: wind, solar, and biomass. It will also consider technologies with longer time horizons, such as enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). It will build on a current U.S. National Academies study, which is assessing the technology risks and tradeoffs for various energy technologies. An understanding of the geographic, technical, and economic constraints will help guide Chinese decision makers to develop appropriate strategies to sustainably meet their energy needs. China’s manufacturing prowess, combined with its growing domestic market, provide opportunities to accelerate progress and reduce costs for renewable energy technologies.
The U.S. and China represent the world's two largest consumers of energy. Getting renewable electricity right for both countries will be a significant step to decelerating global climate change.
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