Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates revealed in a recent blog post that his first high school job was “writing software for the unit that controls the power grid in the Northwest.” The billionaire addressed the world’s “clean energy future” and power transmission.

What happened: Gates noted that in the early days of the power grid, most energy companies placed power plants near cities, but this model is ineffective with solar and wind because “many of the best places to generate a lot of electricity are far from urban centers.”

The Microsoft founder shared a video in which he said the United States would have to build enough new lines in the 2030s to reach the moon.

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Why it matters: Gates addressed the issues surrounding Grid infrastructure, including its fragmentation and aging.

“Our intricate network prevents communities from importing energy when challenges like extreme weather disrupt their power supply. It also prevents electricity from new clean energy projects from reaching people’s homes,” Gates said.

The tech mogul identified scheduling, payment and permitting as the top three obstacles that have impeded progress in improving power transmission in the United States.

Gates said the transmission is key to “our clean energy future.” He said removing barriers will “result in lower emissions, cleaner air, more jobs, fewer blackouts, more energy and economic security, and healthier communities across the country.”

Recently, the billionaire philanthropist visited a disused coal-fired power plant in West Virginia and is said to have taken care of it expanding its nuclear energy efforts to the east coast.

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photo by COP26 on Flickr