Climate

How one device could help transform our power grid

Grid-forming inverters may be key to integrating more solar and wind energy

A photo of wind turbines in a grassy area with power lines nearby.

As more renewable energy comes online and fossil fuel plants are retired, electrical grids around the world need updates to keep them operating stably.

JUAN MIGUEL CERVERA MERLO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

By Alexandra Witze

From Colorado to Washington, from Ohio to Pennsylvania, coal-fired power plants are shutting down. The United States is on track to retire half of its capacity to generate electricity from coal by 2026.