A first-of-its-kind study from the IEA finds that the world must improve or expand the equivalent of the entire existing global electricity grid in order to make the clean energy transition.
Electricity grids and clean energy
In the newly released report, “Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions,” the International Energy Agency (IEA) writes that the world must add or revamp 80 million kilometers (50 million miles) of grids by 2040 to meet the growing demands for clean energy and keep climate change goals on target.
The report takes a deep dive into the state of grids worldwide and delivers a stark message: The future of our planet depends on rapid action.
The IEA’s report paints a vivid picture of the immense task at hand. To meet national climate and energy goals, countries worldwide will need to do the equivalent of re-creating the entire global grid in less than two decades, as well as make major changes to how the grids are operated and regulated.
The report identifies a growing backlog of clean energy projects awaiting connection to the grid, with a massive 1,500 gigawatts in advanced development stages. That’s five times the amount of solar and wind capacity added worldwide last year. These bottlenecks impede the transition to clean energy and also pose a real threat to reaching the Paris Agreement target.
The IEA’s Executive Director, Fatih Birol, said:
The recent clean energy progress we have seen in many countries is unprecedented and cause for optimism, but it could be put in jeopardy if governments and businesses do not come together to ensure the world’s electricity grids are ready for the new global energy economy that is rapidly emerging.
The IEA report offers several strategic actions that could make a significant positive difference. These include strengthening grid interconnections within and between countries to accommodate a greater share of solar and wind power, backing large-scale transmission projects, and embracing digitalization to ensure grids can adapt and withstand future challenges.
Electrek’s Take
This IEA report spells out that the electricity grids need to be ready to support and transmit clean energy ASAP, and it makes suggestions for how to get there. I’m going to mention unblocking the logjam of project permitting here, too – there are lead times of 5 to 15 years for grid infrastructure projects, and we can’t afford to wait that long.
The bottom line is this: The world needs decisive, immediate action to modernize and expand grids. International collaboration is essential to share best practices in order to sustain clean energy growth and mitigate climate change risks.
Read more: The US’ largest clean energy infrastructure project is kicking off construction
Photo: Shutterstock
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