We could decarbonize almost the entire US for less than the cost of the coronavirus. The Coronavirus is gonna cost the US ~$16T. We could decarbonize the grid, double its capacity, & electrify dang near everything for ~$10T over 10 years. (Thread) 1/6 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-pandemic-cost-americans-16-trillion/

Honestly, addressing climate involves a LOT less disruption to most peoples' lives than COVID did this year. Over a decade, we just get electric cars, electric buses, replace gas appliances with heat pumps, & flying is a bit more expensive until we switch to electric planes. 2/6

Industry changes are more involved, but not massive. Steel industry already uses recycled steel in arc furnaces & our direct reduced iron plants can run on hydrogen. Fertilizer already needs just hydrogen. Build a few trillion worth of solar/wind/battery/transmission. Done. 3/6

Utility PV $.80/W (~20% capacity factor), on-shore wind (~35% cf) $1.35/W. ~800GW average more clean electricity to convert grid & electrify everything. $.8/W*400GW/20%= $1.6T PV, $1.35/W*415GW/35%= $1.6T wind, $1T storage, $1T transmission. $5.2T total energy supply side. 4/6

Plus $7500 incentives per each 263 million registered vehicles, $2T. $1T in charging infrastructure ($.5T Fast Charge, $.5T apartments, parking meters, mandating drier outlets in new home garages). $.8T in electrolysis. $1T heatpumps. $2T+$1T+$.8T+$1T=$4.8T demand-side. 5/6

$10T over a decade to get whole nation off of fossil fuels besides some niche applications here or there. Easily would meet our goals at that point. We wouldn't be importing any oil. Cost of energy would be much lower. Total cost cheaper than $16T COVID. FAR less disruptive! 6/6