Power firms' "energy mix" meets both clean air pledges, energy demands
An association of world leading electricity providers last week described a high-tech enabled global energy mix. They claimed it would help nations meet climate-related CO2 reduction pledges and the expanding demand for electricity.
The report for the upcoming world climate summit in COP21, Paris on November 30 - December 11 was from the 11-member Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership.
It describes the outlook for some 50 existing and emerging technologies related to electricity generation (25), systems (11, such as grids, batteries and other means of energy storage), and use (14, eg. more energy efficient lighting).
The report outlines electricity-related trends in key regions and countries: Europe, USA, China, Japan, Brazil and India, stressing that an optimal combination of existing and new technologies will vary from country to country, even within geographical regions. Variables include the structure and state of local and regional electricity systems, the availability of energy resources, the development of industry and the speed at which the less mature technologies improve in terms of performance and cost.
And, in an open letter, the group’s top executives underlined four core policy-making principles to foster the innovation and investment required to meet ambitious climate and energy goals, beginning with secure, stable, clear, consistent and long-term policies, and a system-wide perspective.
The report, Powering Innovation for a Sustainable Future, is the outcome of a two year international consultation process, which concludes: “Energy efficiency and technological innovation in the electricity sector are essential to both reducing emissions and improving the quality of life of citizens around the world. COP21 policymakers are well positioned to help accelerate the development and deployment worldwide of energy efficiency measures and of innovative technologies with effective policies.”
With a combined total of 1.2 billion customers, the 11 GSEP members - American Electric Power (USA), Electricite de France, Eletrobras (Brazil), ENEL (Italy), EuroSibEnergo (Russia), Hydro-Quebec (Canada), Iberdrola (Spain), Kansai Electric Power Company (Japan), RusHydro (Russia), RWE (Germany) and State Grid Corporation of China - delivered about one third of the world’s electricity last year. About 60 per cent was generated with no direct CO2 emissions (hydro, other renewables and nuclear).
The group has 2.4 million employees, 4,000 of them dedicated to research and development, and invests $3 billion in R&D each year.
