Bill Gates: carbon free energy is what we need to tackle climate change

Bill Gates asserts that while wind and solar are expanding, a transition to a fully carbon-free energy future requires solving the challenge of reliable, long-duration energy storage and integrating a diverse mix of technologies. He identifies three critical solution areas: improved energy storage (including hydro, batteries, and thermal), the integration of nuclear power and carbon capture and storage (CCS), and the expansion of high-voltage, long-distance transmission lines. Gates highlights that a combination of these solutions could make carbon-free electricity up to 62 percent cheaper than relying on renewables alone.

• Electricity generation is the primary driver of climate change, accounting for 25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, but it also provides the means to decarbonize other sectors such as transportation, buildings, and manufacturing.
• To achieve zero carbon emissions, the power grid needs breakthroughs in energy storage to provide clean power during periods of low wind or sunlight, as current lithium-ion batteries are only effective for short-duration storage.
• A diverse portfolio of clean energy solutions, including nuclear power and carbon capture and storage (CCS), is more cost-effective than renewables alone; an MIT study suggests this mix could reduce the cost of carbon-free electricity by up to 62 percent.
• The transition to a carbon-free grid requires the deployment of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines to move renewable energy from remote production sites to high-demand urban and industrial areas.

APA

Gates, B. (2019). Bill Gates: carbon free energy is what we need to tackle climate change. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-critical-step-to-reduce-climate-change/

Chicago

Gates, Bill. Bill Gates: carbon free energy is what we need to tackle climate change. World Economic Forum, 2019. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-critical-step-to-reduce-climate-change/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Gates |first1=Bill |title=Bill Gates: carbon free energy is what we need to tackle climate change |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=21 May 2019 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-critical-step-to-reduce-climate-change/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{gates2019bill, author = {Gates, Bill}, title = {{Bill Gates: carbon free energy is what we need to tackle climate change}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-critical-step-to-reduce-climate-change/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }