Big Wires, Small Wires, and Non-Wires Solutions to “Electrify Everything”

The briefing outlines a three-pronged strategy to modernize the US power grid to accommodate increasing electricity demand from data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicles. It advocates for 'Big Wires' (high-voltage transmission and grid-enhancing technologies), 'Small Wires' (distribution upgrades for diffuse loads like EVs), and 'Non-Wires' solutions (virtual power plants) to ensure a reliable and affordable transition to a fully electrified economy.

• The United States faces a significant grid capacity shortage, with over 2 terawatts (TW) of wind, solar, and battery storage projects currently unable to connect to the grid, exceeding the country's existing electric generation capacity of approximately 1.25 TW.
• Grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors offer a faster, more affordable alternative to building new transmission lines. RMI research indicates that a $100 million investment in GETs across five states could generate $1 billion in annual savings for electricity customers by eliminating grid bottlenecks.
• The electrification of the transportation sector requires proactive distribution system planning and upgraded 'small wires' at the community level to prevent EV charging from straining the grid, particularly in rural highway corridors where power demand was historically low.
• Virtual power plants (VPPs), which aggregate connected devices like smart thermostats and home batteries, can provide flexible grid capacity. According to the Department of Energy, scaling VPPs could reduce peak electricity use by 20 percent and save US utility customers $10 billion by the end of the decade.

APA

RMI (2024). Big Wires, Small Wires, and Non-Wires Solutions to “Electrify Everything”. https://rmi.org/resources/big-wires-small-wires-and-non-wires-solutions-to-electrify-everything/

Chicago

RMI. Big Wires, Small Wires, and Non-Wires Solutions to “Electrify Everything”. 2024. https://rmi.org/resources/big-wires-small-wires-and-non-wires-solutions-to-electrify-everything/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Big Wires, Small Wires, and Non-Wires Solutions to “Electrify Everything” |date=2 April 2024 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/big-wires-small-wires-and-non-wires-solutions-to-electrify-everything/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2024big, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Big Wires, Small Wires, and Non-Wires Solutions to “Electrify Everything”}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/big-wires-small-wires-and-non-wires-solutions-to-electrify-everything/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }