Aging Electrical Grids Pose Major Hurdle to Achieving World Climate Goals
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a new report highlighting the pressing need for substantial improvements to global electrical grids to support international climate change objectives. The Paris-based organization, which collaborates with member governments to develop energy policies, has called on nations to invest in upgrading aging electrical grid systems.
The IEA conducted an extensive examination of electricity grids in various countries worldwide, with findings indicating that, in large part, electrical grid systems have lagged behind advances in clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, electric vehicles, and heat pumps.
One of the report's key revelations is that meeting national climate and energy goals will necessitate adding or replacing approximately 80 million kilometers of power lines by 2040. This amount is roughly equivalent to the entire existing global electricity grid.
The 2015 Paris climate agreement has established the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Climate scientists emphasize that achieving this target requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which are primarily linked to human activities and contribute to planetary warming.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol discussed the report with reporters from The Associated Press. He highlighted the existence of numerous renewable energy projects waiting to connect to electricity systems. However, the majority of grids are ill-equipped to accommodate these environmentally friendly technologies.
Birol emphasized that many renewable projects are prepared or nearly ready to commence. If grid enhancements were completed, these projects could generate approximately 1,500 gigawatts of power, which is roughly five times the combined solar and wind capacity added worldwide in the previous year.
The report warns that if investments in grid systems fail to increase, the likelihood of reaching the goals outlined in the Paris agreement diminishes significantly. The IEA asserts that these investments need to double, exceeding $600 billion annually by 2030.
However, gaining approval for new grid improvements is challenging. The IEA notes that in developed economies, a single high-power overhead power line can take between five to 13 years to secure government approvals. In contrast, approvals in countries such as China and India tend to be much faster.
The report highlights specific delayed projects, including one designed to transport wind power from northern to southern Germany. Initially planned in 2014, the project was postponed due to political objections to an overhead line, resulting in the decision to bury it instead. As a result, the project's completion is now anticipated in 2028, a six-year delay.
Similarly, other significant projects, like the 400-kilometer Bay of Biscay connector between Spain and France, have faced delays, with completion now expected in 2028 instead of 2025. Another project aimed at transmitting wind power from New Mexico to Arizona and California only recently commenced after years of delays.
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