Skip to main content

Why good ideas get trapped in the valley of death— and how to rescue them

783,411 Views

6,808 Questions Answered

Plan for Zero

Let’s Begin…

All new products must pass through the "valley of death" before they reach the market. Many never make it out, and sometimes that’s ok— if they don’t work, don’t fill a need, or for any number of reasons. One of the fields where this problem is most pressing is zero-carbon technologies. Why is it vulnerable to this trap, and can we change it? Explore how to break the cycle of the funding gap.

Since 2009, the cost of solar power dropped by almost _________.

Watch the video and finish the Think section to complete the lesson.

About Plan for Zero

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and the stakes could not be higher. To avoid the worst effects of a warming world - which will be catastrophic - humans need to stop adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. TED-Ed created a video series which provides a plan to meet those goals, based on an urgent, authoritative book by Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. Avoiding a climate disaster won’t be easy, but it’s possible. Learn more »

Meet The Creators

  • Video created by TED-Ed
  • Lesson Plan created by TED Ed

More from Plan for Zero