The World Energy Congress is weeks away, and we look forward to seeing you there.
With the 2013 theme being, "Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today," we make the case for accelerating the interconnection of renewable energy resources between all nations.
Two years ago, Fatih Birol of the International Energy Agency warned that we have 5 years to turn around our carbon dioxide emissions or the world will suffer “dire consequences.” These predictions ring true as we are seeing stronger storms, increased floods and devastating droughts on all continents.
Presently only 12% of electricity comes from renewables: hydro, wind, solar and geothermal. Yet we live on a planet that is abundant with these clean energy resources. Today, six nations get over 70% of their power from renewables: Brazil, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal -- and all have developed a high-voltage transmission network to access these remote resources.
The GENI Initiative is exhibiting in Daegu, Korea, and we offer research and education on the technology, costs and benefits of linking electric grids across borders to tap renewable energy resources that exist in every region. In the last few years, we have seen many national commitments to achieve 80-100% clean energy, and international agreements to interconnect the ASEAN region, North and South America, Sub Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
We ask you 4 key questions that all nations and utilities must consider:
- Renewable Potential:
What’s the renewable energy potential of your region?
- Interconnection:
How could these renewables be integrated into your electric grid and provide the reliability, security and immediate dispatch that your customers require?
- Fossil Fuel Transition:
As existing coal and nuclear plants reach the end of their useful life, how can your renewable resources replace them at a competitive cost?
- Smart Grid Design:
How would you plan and build this out over the next 1-2 decades?
The GENI website offers a rich library of national reports on “How to be 100% Renewable by 2020” – including South Korea, Japan and China. – www.geni.org . We will be featuring our recent study for an “HVDC cable around the Sea of Japan”: linking the electric grids of Japan, South and North Korea, China and Russia. We realize these are challenging projects. They offer road maps for a cleaner future for everyone.
We look forward to seeing you in Daegu.
Peter Meisen
President
Global Energy Network Institute