Carbon Emissions Impact by the Electric-Power Industry

Abstract

The electric power industry in the US is second in terms of GHG emissions, contributing to almost 28% of total emissions. In addition, as more people switch to driving electric vehicles, there will be a rise up in electricity demand. If no action is taken to decarbonize the electric grid, such increased electricity use will result in higher GHG emissions. The electric-power sector consists of electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption, and has a wide range of applications for AI, counting accelerating the advancement of clean energy technologies, improving electricity demand forecasts, bolstering system optimization and management, and improving system monitoring. Even novel materials for energy-storing batteries or compounds that collect carbon dioxide from the environment could be discovered thanks to AI. Finally, by incorporating data from risks like wildfires and major storms and altering grid operations appropriately, AI can help make the grid safer, more effective, and more reliable.