International Renewable Energy Agency Director-General Francesco La Camera said countries increasingly wanted diverse and decentralised energy systems that reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels. “Countries have realised that a centralised energy system based on fossil fuels doesn’t provide energy security,” La Camera said.
Oil and gas supplies are concentrated among relatively few producers, while shipments pass through a small number of maritime chokepoints. Disruption can therefore spread rapidly across global energy markets.
La Camera said renewable energy offered countries greater control by allowing electricity to be generated from multiple sources across different locations.
Countries with higher renewable-energy use had generally managed the current crisis better. Spain was comparatively less affected, while almost half of road transport in Norway was electric. “We are moving towards a new energy system built primarily on renewables, complemented by the sustainable use of biomass and, above all, green hydrogen,” La Camera said.
About 90% of new electricity-generating capacity added worldwide annually now comes from renewable sources. In China, solar capacity overtook coal-fired capacity for the first time at the end of July.
“The direction of travel is no longer in question,” La Camera said. “The real question is the speed and scale.”
Economic competitiveness would increasingly depend on producing affordable green hydrogen, electricity and energy storage.
La Camera said renewable energy combined with storage could provide continuous electricity throughout the year at a lower cost than gas or nuclear power.
However, global energy demand was growing faster than previously expected, while efficiency improvements remained inadequate.
Tripling renewable capacity by 2030 might therefore be insufficient. The International Renewable Energy Agency has proposed increasing electricity’s share of final energy consumption to 35% by 2035.
The transition will require interconnected and flexible electricity grids supported by artificial intelligence and digital technology.
Governments should also reform regulations and fossil-fuel subsidies while retraining workers for emerging energy industries.
Developing countries face additional constraints from high financing costs and inadequate electricity networks.
La Camera called on multilateral financial institutions to prioritise infrastructure investment and grid modernisation.
“Grid, grid, grid, interconnectivity, flexibility and balance,” La Camera said. “This is the most urgent thing to act on right now.”
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
