This issue of Energy Today is a continuation of the theme, "Sustainable Infrastructure and the Gigaton Challenge." In Part I, we considered China’s feat of building the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. While the dam provides electricity and economic benefits to hundreds of millions of Chinese, it also displaced millions, hurt the environment and is so big it may have slowed the Earth’s rotation.
Part II is devoted to the “gigaton challenge” of rebuilding our infrastructure sustainably, focusing on solution-oriented approaches that also benefit the greater good. We look at the United Nations’ take on low-carbon energy strategies for the Midwest, timely as AES is co-hosting a weeklong (virtual) conference, the Sustainable Infrastructure and the Gigaton Challenge, next month with SISE at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Other articles look at California’s attempt to become the first carbon-negative state; making the national grid strong, smart and sustainable; and an MIT doctoral student who is melding algorithms, nuclear science and engineering to combat climate change.
Part II is devoted to the “gigaton challenge” of rebuilding our infrastructure sustainably, focusing on solution-oriented approaches that also benefit the greater good. We look at the United Nations’ take on low-carbon energy strategies for the Midwest, timely as AES is co-hosting a weeklong (virtual) conference, the Sustainable Infrastructure and the Gigaton Challenge, next month with SISE at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Other articles look at California’s attempt to become the first carbon-negative state; making the national grid strong, smart and sustainable; and an MIT doctoral student who is melding algorithms, nuclear science and engineering to combat climate change.
Table of Contents
Low-Carbon Energy Strategies for the Midwest United States
By United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network How does the physical energy infrastructure in the Midwest need to evolve to enable a low-carbon transition? What are key decarbonization opportunities and challenges in the Midwest? Explore a vision for the future. |
Our Grid Must Be Strong, Smart and Sustainable By Doug Houseman Planning that focuses on making the grid strong, smart and sustainable will help utilities cope with today’s challenges of maintaining reliability and resiliency. |
Nestor Sepulveda: Zeroing In On Decarbonization
By Leda Zimmerman MIT’s Nestor Sepulveda is wielding complex algorithms, nuclear science and engineering to spin out scenarios for combating climate change. |
Getting To Zero and Beyond by Roger D. Aines and George Peridas California’s aspiration to become the first carbon-negative state appears to be achievable and affordable. Find out what it will take. |