Utilities deserve a tremendous amount of respect for building a powerful system that delivers energy to our homes and businesses safely and (mostly) reliably via a complex system of poles, wires and people to maintain it.

However, this system is a product of the industrial age and has evolved very little over the past 30 years to meet the expectations of the digital era. Additionally, the majority of energy found on the grid today comes from nonrenewable sources, such as fossil fuels, which are a major contributor to climate change. And while some can access alternative sources of energy, such as solar panels — they often require major upfront investments — which are unattainable for many people.

Our energy system is begging for change. According to a recent study conducted by Inspire, nearly eight in 10 consumers want to be part of a clean energy future. To ensure everyone can easily access 100% renewable energy, we need to update the century-and-a-half-old energy industry through innovation. Think of what Amazon did to retail, what Uber did to transportation, and what Netflix did to entertainment. If we are going to accelerate progress on climate change, American energy needs its similar moment.

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