Electricity loss due to transmission in my state of California is up around 10%. I think this is because there are so many uninsultated power lines. http://insideenergy.org/2015/11/06/electricity-losses-state-by-state-interactive/

Simple solution: upgrade the powerlines to code, and make them insulated.

The author points to the obvious fact that from an economic point of view we are stuck on fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

A more visionary approach would be to use hydroelectric, at least in places that have mountain ranges. This currently accounts for 36% of renewable energy production in the U.S. . Unfortunately we are stuck on non-visionary ideas that will take decades like wind and solar.