peripheral
adj.not as important as other things or people in a particular activity, idea, or situation
...a diplomat who had a peripheral role in the negotiations
The romance is peripheral to the main plot of the movie.
account for
If a particular thing accounts for a part or proportion of something, that part or proportion consists of that thing, or is used or produced by it.
Computers account for 5% of the country's commercial electricity consumption.
far-fetched
If you describe a story or idea as far-fetched, you are criticizing it because you think it is unlikely to be true or practical.
The storyline was too far-fetched and none of the actors was particularly good.
hitch
n.a hitch is a slight problem or difficulty which causes a short delay.
The five-hour operation went without a hitch.
smog-belching
If a machine or chimney belches something such as smoke or fire or if smoke or fire belches from it, large amounts of smoke or fire come from it.
Tired old trucks were struggling up the road below us, belching black smoke...
pylon
n. pylons are very tall metal structures which hold electric cables high above the ground so that electricity can be transmitted over long distances.
...electricity pylons.
put the brakes on
to stop something that is happening
Policymakers see renewable energy as an incovenient truth and put the brakes on it.
creep back
If something creeps in orcreeps back, it begins to occur or becomes part of something without people realizing or without them wanting it.
An increasing ratio of mistakes, perhaps induced by tiredness, crept into her game.
the splurge of/ splurge on
If yousplurge onsomething, you spend a lot of money, usually on things that you do not need.
We splurged on Bohemian glass for gifts, and for ourselves.=splash out
prime the pump
to encourage a business, industry, or activity to develop by putting money or effort into it
The government is priming the pump for new technologies.
vagary
Vagaries are unexpected and unpredictable changes in a situation or in someone's behaviour which you have no control over. (FORMAL)
...the perplexing vagaries of politics.
kick in
If something kicks in, it begins to take effect.
As discounts kicked in, bookings for immediate travel rose by 15%...
a corollary of
A corollary of something is an idea, argument, or fact that results directly from it. (FORMAL)
The number of prisoners increased as a corollary of the government's determination to combat violent crime.
blackout
If there is a power blackout, the electricity supply to a place is temporarily cut off.
There was an electricity black-out in a large area in the north of the country.
smooth out
If you smooth out a problem or difficulty, you solve it, especially by talking to the people concerned.
Baker was smoothing out differences with European allies...
Solutions:
The two articles have showcased some solutions to the problem. The heart of the problem is that the disrupted power system. The out-dated system keeps running in the old way. Reform is in dire need. For government, it sholud take its responsibility as a regulator. It sholud oversee the power market and make regulations at crucial time. For example, it can adjust power prices more frequently, give rewards to those who contribute to the balance of the grid and structure bills among customers. For the RE itself, we need to improve its capacity and durability. In order to avoid blackouts, new technologies have a great role to play. As for its low marginal cost, it is a paradox. On the one hand, we hope that lower is better. But on the other hand, things do not turn out to be what we take for granted. The low power running cost again muds the water. So it is a matter of some delicacy, which is a big test for policymakers.
All in all, I think that we should slow down our steps. There is still a long long way to go. The priority of energy is a big task. The disruption has proven it. When pursuing a era of clean, unlimited and cheap power, we need to take a close look at its effect.
