As America looks to dramatically increase its use of renewable energy, an inconvenient reality stands in the way: The need to upgrade the country’s antiquated electricity grid. Part of that overhaul involves the construction of costly long-distance transmission lines to carry clean energy from remote sites to population centers.

Blueprint America — with NOW on PBS — reports from California, which has the most ambitious clean energy plan in the nation. But, the state’s efforts face stiff opposition from property owners and conservationists who prefer renewable energy from local sources, such as photovoltaic rooftop solar panels.

Complicating the matter are claims that the transmission lines are not actually carrying renewable energy at all, but represent a thinly-disguised strategy to stick to old energy practices.

The green energy dream: Why it might not happen.