FOLSOM, Calif. – Jon Marmillo, co-founder of LineVision, stands beneath a giant transmission tower in Folsom, California, gazing up at a box of laser sensors positioned 20 feet above. Marmillo believes that integrating technologies like these sensors into power lines could help the US achieve its climate goals quicker and cheaper. The country aims to sharply reduce planet-warming pollution, but wind and solar projects face significant delays in connecting to transmission lines. According to the REPEAT Project led by Princeton University, the US needs to expand its transmission capacity by 43% before 2035. However, it will take time and billions of dollars to construct these new transmission lines. Marmillo argues that laser sensors, which provide real-time data on power lines, could allow utilities to safely transmit more renewable electricity through existing infrastructure. These sensors are part of a suite of innovations, collectively known as “grid enhancing technologies”, that could help increase the country’s grid capacity more efficiently and affordably than building new transmission lines. Federal and state governments are considering incentives and mandates for the adoption of these technologies, says Allison Clements, a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, experts express concern that monopoly utilities might be hesitant to adopt these technologies due to the financial incentives they have to build new infrastructure. Grid enhancing technologies offer a potential solution to a broken electricity system in the US, which mainly relies on fossil fuels. While new transmission lines will be necessary, these technologies can make the existing grid and new transmission lines operate more efficiently. Examples of such technologies include wires that carry more electricity, software and hardware that helps utilities manage congestion, and laser sensors that gather real-time data on wind, temperature, and wire sag. Additionally, advanced grid technologies are quicker to deploy than new transmission lines, and their use is critical given the urgency of the climate crisis. However, the financial structure of monopoly utilities poses a challenge to the widespread adoption of these technologies. The profit models of these utilities, established over a century ago, incentivize large-scale infrastructure projects. As a result, lower-cost technologies like sensors and rewiring existing lines may not be as appealing to utilities. Marissa Gillett, chair of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, explains that utilities have less potential for profit with these lower-cost options. Despite the obstacles, there is growing recognition of the potential benefits of grid enhancing technologies, and efforts are underway to encourage their adoption by utilities. With the need to transition to renewable energy quickly, the integration of these technologies into the existing grid could be an important step forward.