Shift Key with Robinson Meyer Nobody in the West Knows How to Respond to the ‘Electrotech Revolution’
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Sep 24, 2025 
Kingsmill Bond, an energy strategist at Ember and co-author of 'The Electrotech Revolution', shares insights on the transformative shift to electricity technologies like solar and EVs. He argues that a global electrotech revolution is underway, led by China's scale and policy. Bond discusses how efficiency and falling costs are driving this change, the importance of proactive policy responses, and the risks of Western inaction. He also highlights how emerging markets are leapfrogging to clean energy, positioning the world for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
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Solar+Battery Can Reach Very High Shares
- Solar plus batteries can already meet large shares of electricity cheaply in sunny regions today.
- Bond's colleague found solar+battery could supply ~80% in many locations as costs fall further.
Regulators Must Clear The Path
- Use smart policy and regulation to clear deployment barriers and avoid blackouts.
- Bond urges proactive regulators to unlock electrotech rather than treat problems as insurmountable.
Geopolitics Amplifies The Tech Race
- Geopolitics adds urgency: if a rival deploys cheaper electrotech, others risk falling behind.
- Bond frames competition with China as an added incentive to deploy electrotech.