Skip to main content

NOAA study suggests US could slash power emissions by 78 percent with existing tech

A greener energy future for the US is closer than you think. A new study by NOAA and University of Colorado Boulder researchers found it is possible for the country to slash greenhouse gas emissions due to power generation by as much as 78 percent below 1990 levels. Even more shocking is how fast it could be done: just 15 years.

What it comes down to is increasing efficiency and scale of our renewable energy generation. For example, the nation’s southwest from California to western Texas is prime real estate for solar power generation, while the midwest from North Dakota’s border with Canada south through Oklahoma and central Texas is prime for wind energy generation.

Recommended Videos

Transmission infrastructure also needs to be improved, but even with those investments energy production would be generated at costs similar to today’s. The sun will always be shining somewhere, and the winds blowing elsewhere, so the problem really comes down to a matter of scale.

Because the US has only partially committed to renewable energy, its effectiveness is intermittent. We are at the mercy of mother nature: if a weather system passes too far away from a wind turbine field, the propellers don’t spin. If solar panels are placed in areas with foul weather, when it’s cloudy they won’t generate the energy we’re looking for.

To answer these questions, researchers created a model that would evaluate the cost of generating energy from a variety of sources. It was also given the ability to build out and pay for infrastructure improvements. Each time, the model built out more renewable energy generation than currently exists, while also upgrading the nation’s power transmission system to more efficient methods.

The model’s results call for a spreading out of renewable energy generation, while also investing in better transmission lines, called high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines. These modern transmission lines are much more efficient in transmitting generated electricity across longer distances with less loss. This would help keep transmission costs low.

“With an ‘interstate for electrons,’ renewable energy could be delivered anywhere in the country while emissions plummet,” co-lead author of the study Alexander MacDonald says. “An HVDC grid would create a national electricity market in which all types of generation, including low-carbon sources, compete on a cost basis. The surprise was how dominant wind and solar could be.”

The study found that even in scenarios where renewable energy cost more than they predicted, emissions were still reduced by one third by 2030 and generation cost 8.6 cents per kilowatt hour. In a situation where natural gas emissions cost more, and renewable energy less, emissions were cut by the 78 percent mentioned above, while costing 10 cents per kWh.

Today’s electricity generation costs about 9-10 cents per kWh.

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more