Dive Brief:
- The global electricity grid can be 70% renewable by 2050, said 1,600 energy sector respondents to a new survey done by DNV GL. The firm sought to address questions about how to best move forward the integration of cleaner energy into the global electricity system.
- To reach these levels, however, the firm said new economic metrics must converge the needs of policymakers and system operators, and a "dramatic change" in the industry’s approach to the integration of new technology is required.
- Almost half of respondents believe the high level of renewables integration can be achieved by 2030.
Dive Insight:
Research from DNV GL shows just how strongly the global energy industry believes in the adoption of renewable power. The firm said it gathered views from over 1,600 energy sector participants across more than 70 countries, and found 82% believe 70% renewable power is achievable by 2050.
The findings show "the solution for a high renewables future demands a dramatic change in the industry’s approach to the integration of new technology," said David Walker, CEO of DNV GL-Energy.
The report concludes that new entrepreneurial solutions will expand the electricity business, with 66% of respondents pointing to energy storage as a key for a cleaner grid. DNV GL said that where policymakers often see energy in a holistic sense, industry thinking still can be too much focused on the electricity sector alone.
"We need to adopt more collaborative approaches and go beyond old metrics, beyond old rules and beyond old silos," Walker said. "A shift away from a paradigm in which renewables are considered a nuisance to be accommodated to one in which the true potential of renewables in balancing and securing grids is unlocked. The debate needs to move ‘beyond integration.'"
