Why Americas outdated energy grid is a climate problem

▤ Summary

This story is part of CNBCs "Transmission Troubles" series, an inside look at why the aging electrical grid in the U.S. is struggling to keep up, how its being improved, and why its so vital to fighting climate change. The network of transmission lines that carry electricity across the U.S. is old and not set up to meet the anticipated demand for clean energy sources like wind and solar. Currently, electricity generation results in 32% of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, mostly from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas. "Those were the times when California was planning to have a nuclear power plant every 100 miles or so up and down the coast, many more than they ended up building in reality, because they kept projecting 7% annual electricity demand increases, which they used to have in the 60s, into the indefinite future," Staschus told CNBC. Now, demand for electricity is going to increase rapidly as efforts to respond to global warming and mitigate the effects of climate change ramp up.

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