
Chris Clack is a mathematician who builds models to study our electrical system. In January 2016, while working as NOAA researcher, he co-authored a paper that used various models to show that the United States could reduce carbon emissions from electricity generation by 80 percent by 2030, using only existing technologies (and at slightly lower cost). Clack, who lives in Boulder, Colorado, has since founded his own company, which builds models for various clients in the energy sector, including governments, utilities and grid operators.
This is an edited version of a conversation with Clack on Oct. 25, 2016.
Harrison Dreves: Could you summarize the findings the paper you co-authored in Nature Climate Change?
Chris Clack: In really simple terms, the lowest cost electricity option for the U.S., with today's technology, is 80 percent carbon free generation. A lot of people that read the paper assume we wanted 80 percent renewables. We actually asked 'what is the lowest cost system?' and then what falls out from that is a national transmission system with lower cost electricity.
This is an edited version of a conversation with Clack on Oct. 25, 2016.
Harrison Dreves: Could you summarize the findings the paper you co-authored in Nature Climate Change?
Chris Clack: In really simple terms, the lowest cost electricity option for the U.S., with today's technology, is 80 percent carbon free generation. A lot of people that read the paper assume we wanted 80 percent renewables. We actually asked 'what is the lowest cost system?' and then what falls out from that is a national transmission system with lower cost electricity.