Addressing global climate change requires the research, development, demonstration, and funding of a full suite of “climate-friendly” technologies. These technologies will help electric companies meet the nation’s increasing demands for electricity in a carbon-constrained world.

A Full Suite of Technologies

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects electricity demand will increase 28 percent by 2035 as the U.S. population increases, the economy expands, and the use of electric technologies grows.¹

Electric companies will meet this growing demand, while reducing GHG emissions, with a full suite of climate-friendly technologies, including:

• Energy efficiency technologies and measures, including smart grid
• Renewable energy resources
• Advanced coal technologies with carbon capture and storage
• Increased nuclear capacity and advanced nuclear designs
• Electric vehicles, including plug-in electric vehicles

Some of these technologies are currently available—but they cost more than conventional generation sources. Others are not yet available. All have different time horizons for development and deployment. But all are critical to the industry’s goals of reducing GHGs and maintaining a reliable, affordable electricity supply.

Explore this section to learn more about the
technologies and measures needed to reduce GHGs,
the challenges to implementing them, and the
importance of harmonizing legislative compliance
dates with technology availability.

Next: Harmonizing Compliance Dates

¹U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration,
Annual Energy Outlook 2010, Early Release, December 2009.