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Energy Storage (Distributed)

Electricity Generation

Standalone batteries and electric vehicles make it possible to store energy at home or work. They ensure supply even when variable renewables are not producing.

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Rank and results by 2050 #77

Energy Storage (Distributed)

What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

Distributed energy storage is an essential supporting technology for many solutions. Microgrids, net zero buildings, grid flexibility, and rooftop solar all depend on or are amplified by the use of dispersed storage systems, which facilitate uptake of renewable energy and avert the expansion of coal, oil, and gas electricity generation. Adoption of distributed storage varies depending on whether it is used in an urban or rural setting; those dynamics are not explicitly modeled.

Energy Storage (Distributed)

Electricity Generation

Standalone batteries and electric vehicles make it possible to store energy at home or work. They ensure supply even when variable renewables are not producing.

There is an energy transition under way. The world is shifting away from carbon-based fuels to renewable energy. With distributed renewables, such as rooftop solar, a utility’s customers become producers and can sell power to the grid. Another part of the transition is distributed energy storage—the ability to retain small or large amounts of energy produced where you live or work and use it to meet your own needs.

The wind and sun have their own timetables, making generation variable. Storage can ensure electricity is available, even when sunshine or breezes are not. There are two basic sources of small-scale storage: stand-alone batteries and electric vehicles. If they are used to enable more reliance on renewables, there will be substantial climate benefits.

Creating a distributed energy storage system, or grid independence, requires affordable storage, and until now, prices for batteries have been prohibitively expensive. That is changing. From $1,200 per kilowatt-hour in 2009, the cost dropped to roughly $200 in 2016. Companies are predicting $50 per kilowatt-hour in a few years. For $1,200 per kilowatt-hour, you can purchase a 24-kilowatt-hour energy storage system and get a car thrown in for free—the all-electric Nissan LEAF.

Vs

Walkable Cities

Buildings and Cities

Walkable cities prioritize two feet over four wheels through careful planning and design. As people need to drive less and want to walk more, emissions decrease.

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Rank and results by 2050 #54

Walkable Cities

Reduced CO2: 3 gigatons
Net operational savings: $3,278.24 billion
What do these numbers mean?

TOTAL CO2-EQ REDUCTION (GT)

Total CO2-equivalent reduction in atmospheric greenhouse gases by 2050 (gigatons)

NET COST (billions US $)

Net cost to implement

SAVINGS (billions US $)

Net savings by 2050

Impact:

The six dimensions of the built environment—demand, density, design, destination, distance, and diversity—are all key drivers of walkability. Our analysis focuses on population density as a proxy for walkable neighborhoods. As cities become denser and city planners, commercial enterprises, and residents invest in the “6Ds,” 5 percent of trips currently made by car can be made by foot instead by 2050. That shift could result in 2.9 gigatons of avoided carbon dioxide emissions and reduce costs associated with car ownership by $3.3 trillion.

Walkable Cities

Buildings and Cities

Walkable cities prioritize two feet over four wheels through careful planning and design. As people need to drive less and want to walk more, emissions decrease.

Walkable cities prioritize two feet over four wheels through careful planning and design. They minimize the need to use a car and make the choice to forego driving appealing, which can reduce greenhouse gases emissions. According to the Urban Land Institute, in more compact developments ripe for walking, people drive 20 to 40 percent less.

Walkable trips are not simply those with a manageable distance from point A to point B, perhaps a ten- to fifteen-minute journey on foot. They have walk appeal, thanks to a density of fellow walkers, a mix of land and real estate uses, and key design elements that create compelling environments for people on foot. Infrastructure for walkability can include:

Density of homes, workplaces, and other spaces.
Wide, well-lit, tree-lined sidewalks and walkways.
Safe and direct pedestrian crossings.
Connectivity with mass transit.

Today, too many urban spaces remain no- or low-walking ones, and demand for walkable places far outstrips supply. That is because walkable cities are easier and more attractive to live in, making for happier, healthier citizens. Health, prosperity, and sustainability go hand in hand.

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