Massive amounts of public money are being mobilized to kickstart economies out of COVID-induced recessions.
Many countries are allocating parts of their stimulus packages towards ensuring therecovery is green.
There are many low-carbon ways to supply energy, provide mobility in cities and heat homes.
These solutions vary on what we have called the granular-lumpy continuum.
More granular options are relatively small in size, low in cost, and modular they scale through replication.
More lumpy options are relatively large, costly and non-divisible they scale by growing larger.
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We found that more granular technologies have nine important advantages over more lumpy alternatives.
These advantages set clear priorities for policymakers deciding how to allocate limited resources.
First, we found more granular technologies deploy faster, with lower cost barriers and less specialized capital requirements.
Sixth, we found more granular technologies are less complex, enabling more rapid innovation cycles.
This means product and process improvements move faster from lab to market.
Rapid decarbonization is not possible without the social and political legitimacy that comes from widely shared benefits and jobs.
Seventh, we found more granular technologies are more equitably distributed among the worlds population.
Youre eight times more likely to have access to a mobile phone than to a car.
Eighth, we found more granular technologies provide higher social returns on every public dollar invested in innovation.
More economic productivity, more air pollution benefits, more energy security.
And ninth, but not least, we found more granular technologies mean more jobs.
They are the result of concerted research, innovation, investment, standardization, mass manufacturing and policy advocacy.
Nor can granularity outcompete lumpiness in all contexts.
There are no like-for-like alternatives to some lumpy technologies.
Think jet aircraftflying long-haulor iron, steel, and cement manufacturing.
In other cases, more granular options are available but offer a different pop in of service.
