I stan transmission, nuclear, DERs, long duration batteries, advanced geothermal, clean hydrogen, etc. for the same reason:

What we’re doing today (RE projects + some storage connected to the existing grid) will persist and be a huge part of the game, but alone is insufficient.

All of the things I mentioned have challenges, advantages, and drawbacks. Some mix of them (very very unlikely just one thing), varrying regionally, is going help us get to zero.

Lots of new transmission will help us integrate VRE. We need to build this stuff even though it’s hard.

When and where we just can’t make it happen, we’re going to need more zero carbon firm generation to jump off the bench and help deliver a win.

But maybe in a certain area there’s no geo/hydro potential in a location and the community doesn’t like nuclear. Well then we better get moving with DERs and seasonal storage.

Those are just a few random examples, but there will be countless other situations regions and communities find themselves in when trying to decarbonize. These issues will be technical, political, and cultural.

As a country, let’s work on developing and providing a complete toolkit that’s adaptable to many scenarios so every place can figure this out in a way that works for them.

(This sentiment also works for transportation debates on public transit, EVs, bikes and ebikes, electric planes, high speed rail, hydrogen fuel cells, etc. The only difference is there isn’t one breakout thing all the others are trying to support.)