Electrical grids aren’t keeping up with global push for green energy
FRANKFURT, Germany — Stalled spending on electrical grids worldwide is slowing the rollout of renewable energy and could put efforts to limit climate change at risk if millions of miles of power lines The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that global electrical grid spending is slowing the rollout of renewable energy, potentially putting efforts to reduce climate change at risk if millions of miles of power lines are not added or refurbished in the next few years. The Paris-based organization stated that the capacity to connect to and transmit electricity is not keeping pace with the rapid growth of clean energy technologies like solar and wind power, electric cars, and heat pumps being used to replace fossil fuels.IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said that there is a long line of renewable projects waiting for the green light to connect the grid, which could generate 1,500 gigawatts of power, or five times the amount of solar capacity added worldwide last year. If spending on grids continues at current levels, the chance of holding the global increase in average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is likely to be significantly reduced.
Publicerad : 2 år sedan förbi i Environment
FRANKFURT, Germany — Stalled spending on electrical grids worldwide is slowing the rollout of renewable energy and could put efforts to limit climate change at risk if millions of miles of power lines are not added or refurbished in the next few years, the International Energy Agency said.
The Paris-based organization said in the report Tuesday that the capacity to connect to and transmit electricity is not keeping pace with the rapid growth of clean energy technologies such as solar and wind power, electric cars and heat pumps being deployed to move away from fossil fuels.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol told The Associated Press in an interview that there is a long line of renewable projects waiting for the green light to connect to the grid. The stalled projects could generate 1,500 gigawatts of power, or five times the amount of solar and wind capacity that was added worldwide last year, he said.
“It’s like you are manufacturing a very efficient, very speedy, very handsome car — but you forget to build the roads for it,” Birol said.
If spending on grids stayed at current levels, the chance of holding the global increase in average temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels — the goal set by the 2015 Paris climate accords — “is going to be diminished substantially,” he said.
Ämnen: ESG