U.S. could produce electricity with little to no carbon emissions by 2050, says EPRI President

Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) President Arshad Mansoor told energy stakeholders at the U.S. Energy Association's 2020 Advanced Energy and Technology Forum this week that a cleaner electric grid will be the catalyst for the U.S. energy sector to produce zero or near-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Currently, 20 percent of the energy used in the U.S. is electricity. By 2040, more than 40 percent of the economy could be electrified, according to Mansoor.

Economy-wide decarbonization will require a holistic view across electric and gas grids to deliver resilient, integrated systems providing clean, affordable, and reliable energy across the U.S. and around the world. Through the LCRI, EPRI and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) are already collaborating with more than 20 companies worldwide to advance research, development, and deployment of low-carbon technologies, including nuclear energy and renewables. Such efforts can benefit the public through cleaner energy that supports reduced air pollution, improved quality of life, and environmental protection.

Mansoor addressed the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI), a collaboration across the electric and gas sectors to help drive emissions to zero or near zero by 2050 by advancing existing and emerging low-carbon technologies. LCRI also includes research, testing, and technology demonstrations for large-scale use of low-carbon energy carriers -- hydrogen, ammonia, synthetic fuels, and biofuels -- and processes such as blending hydrogen in natural gas pipelines, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies.