SMART ELECTRIFICATION WITH RENEWABLES

The latest work from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that electrification is a top priority in the short and medium term to set the energy system on the path needed to keep the rise in global temperatures to well below 2°C. In IRENA’s “World Energy Transitions Outlook” (2021) electricity consumption more than doubles to over 50% of global final energy consumption by 2050. This means electricity’s growth as a share of total global final energy consumption must accelerate almost four or fivefold to about 1% each year, from relatively consistent historical levels averaging around 0.2-0.25% since 1980. This must begin as soon as possible, as every year the increase in electrification with renewables is delayed means an even greater acceleration is needed. If the world would like to hold the line at a 1.5°C temperature increase, then the pace of electrification with renewables must accelerate further still to meet additional clean electricity uses required by 2050. IRENA has recently addressed a wide range of key topics related to the urgent drive toward greater electrification, as summarised in Box 1. Crucially, this report has been jointly developed through a partnership with the China State Grid Energy Research Institute (SGERI). As such, it benefits from the perspective of the world’s largest grid operator, and one that is strongly focused on the challenges and opportunities of rapid electrification, digitalisation and renewables deployment. Many of the critical innovations related to smart electrification with renewables are expanding at their fastest pace in China – for example in the electrification of transport – so their involvement in this work and in future discussions on the topic has the potential to provide invaluable lessons. This report aims to consolidate IRENA’s work in this area, and in doing so provide policy makers with a conceptual overview of the global transition to electrification with renewables. It presents recent trends in relevant technologies and innovations, sets out possible long-term pathways for electrification with renewables, and identifies priority actions to enable those pathways. Throughout the paper, the underlying concern is how to achieve “smart electrification with renewables”, rather than poorly planned electrification. Smart electrification with renewables focuses on the potential synergies between major increases in renewable power generation, electrification and digitalisation, and looks to create the conditions for the unprecedented co-ordination of their deployment and more efficient use across end-use sectors – power, transport, industry and buildings. To provide more insights into the strategies behind and benefits of such an approach, an extensive literature survey has also been performed as part of this study. A summary of this report and its main findings is available in the publication “Electrification with Renewables: Driving the transformation of energy services – A Preview for Policy Makers” (IRENA, 2019a).

source :

https://www.irena.org/publications/2022/Feb/Smart-Electrification-with-Renewables