A problem family — different problems, same issues

the solution exists but
nobody can afford it

30 problems across 15 fields

These 30 problems have been solved technically. What blocks them is economics, and 'too expensive' means eight different things. Recycled plastic costs more than new plastic because the polymer degrades each time it is processed. Physics sets a similar cost floor on destroying PFAS chemicals. Small modular reactors face first-of-a-kind costs that fall only as more are built. In antibacterial drugs the business model works against the goal: companies earn by selling more, and public health needs the drugs used less.

The technology works and the economics don't. 'Too expensive' means eight different things, so find out which kind you face before choosing a strategy.

Ways this family shows up

Cost per unit. Each unit costs more than the market will accept
Cost to operate. Running costs are higher than the value produced
Cost of the whole system. The component is cheap and fitting it into a system is not
Market too small. Too few buyers to support the manufacturing needed
A floor set by physics. The energy the process requires sets a cost that cannot be engineered away
Price set by the old technology. The incumbent set price expectations the new technology must match
First-of-a-kind cost. Costs fall only with deployment, and deployment waits for costs to fall
Sales against the goal. The business earns by selling more while public health needs less use

The 30 problems in this family

the energy cost per lettucetested in the wrong worldmedium

harvested, then losttested in the wrong worldmedium

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

a machine needed only in the rainthe economics don't workhigh

every field varies, every sensor averagesthe economics don't workhigh

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

biology can't beat petroleum on pricetested in the wrong worldmedium

twenty years of research, still twice the pricetested in the wrong worldmedium

recycle it and it gets worsetested in the wrong worldhigh

also in making one is easy. making a million is the problem

electricity without a bottletested in the wrong worldhigh

up to four years for a large power transformerthe economics don't workmedium

fourteen hundred degrees, no clean flametested in the wrong worldhigh

the cheapest battery costs the most to recyclethe economics don't workhigh

four hours of storage for a hundred hours of needtested in the wrong worldhigh

no fleet without a first buyerthe economics don't workmedium

predictable power, prohibitive pricethe economics don't workhigh

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

forever chemicals with no known destroyertested in the wrong worldhigh

also in the chemistry itself changes at scale

meat without animals, at any pricetested in the wrong worldmedium

also in making one is easy. making a million is the problem, the chemistry itself changes at scale

brewed to perfection, too expensive to eattested in the wrong worldmedium

also in making one is easy. making a million is the problem, the chemistry itself changes at scale

the vaccine froze and nobody noticedthe economics don't workmedium

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

nobody wants to make the drug we need mostthe economics don't workhigh

every dose built from scratchthe economics don't workmedium

the drug exists but not herethe economics don't workhigh

the floor as a disease vectorbuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

adult pills for children's cancerthe economics don't workhigh

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

protection invented, not deliveredthe economics don't workhigh

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

mandated green, can't afford the transitionbuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

underwater batteries nobody can easily replacethe economics don't workhigh

technically possible, economically impossiblethe economics don't workmedium

space computers fall shortthe economics don't workhigh

three companies tried, three failedbuilt without the people who'd live with itmedium

arsenic removed in the lab, not in the villagetested in the wrong worldhigh

also in designed for a world that doesn’t exist here

Confidence: high = from a primary expert source (Tier 1) · medium = from an analyst, conference, or community source (Tier 2 or 3) · needs sourcing = flagged until we find a better source · the dot's size is its tier; a dashed dot needs sourcing

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the solution exists butnobody can afford it

Ways this family shows up

The 30 problems in this family

the solution exists butnobody can afford it

Ways this family shows up

The 30 problems in this family

the solution exists but
nobody can afford it

the solution exists but
nobody can afford it