What will it really take to decarbonize the global economy? Contact online >>
What will it really take to decarbonize the global economy?
As companies across industries push towards net-zero, one thing is certain: to reach their targets, new utilities partnerships, ecosystems and marketplaces will be essential. Utility companies can support practical enterprise sustainability by increasing the amount of clean, renewable energy in the grid, enabling rapid and cost-effective electrification of industries, and moving from managing the grid to orchestrating all its complex inputs. In the coming years, utilities will continue to play a central role in the energy transition by accelerating global decarbonization through clean electrification – the process of replacing fossil fuels with electricity produced from renewable sources, like wind, solar and hydro.
The good news is that about 70% of today’s global greenhouse gas emissions can be addressed by clean electrification. High-emitting sectors, like power generation and transportation, are investing heavily in in the process. US automakers, for example, committed to invest $250B in vehicle electrification by 2023. And despite the pandemic, 2020 was a record year for green energy, with more than 80% of all new electricity capacity coming from renewable sources.
But, enabling clean electrification at scale for consumers and businesses will require leaders to come together in new ways to rethink how electrical systems operate. As more parts of our global economy rely on electricity to run, electricity ecosystems will become more complex and diversified. The number and scale of non-utility owned-and-operated resources connected to the grid will increase exponentially. And more interconnected functions will generate increasingly complex information flows.
Going forward, digital transformation will be key to decarbonization and helping electricity ecosystems deliver clean energy to connected consumers in safe and reliable ways. Digital solutions that apply AI, IoT and blockchain will support new energy marketplaces, while enabling more resilient physical infrastructure, more efficient and reliable utility operations, and better customer service. For example:
Here are a few examples of how utility companies and their ecosystem partners are teaming up with IBM to fuel the future more sustainably:
Hydro One: When severe storms disrupt electricity service, customers expect power to be restored quickly. Hydro One, one of North America’s largest utility companies, shifted from reacting to weather-induced power interruptions to proactively preparing for storms using The Weather Company’s Outage Prediction solution. Outage Prediction helps the utility predict the impact of future storms by combining a customer’s historical outage data with past weather events and engineered weather forecasts. Now, it can proactively prepare for incoming weather by mobilizing personnel and equipment in advance of storms – in some cases cutting power restoration time in half.
Omega Energia: Wind and solar energy will account for more than 55% of the world’s electricity by 2050, making renewable energy forecasts increasingly critical. Fully committed to sustainability, Brazil’s renewable energy leader, Omega Energia, and IBM collaborated to build a cost-effective, scalable, cloud-based wind forecasting platform. High-accuracy forecasts using best-in-class weather data and advanced analytics, including AI and machine learning, are powering benefits in maintenance planning, generation forecasting, and strategic planning to help Omega meet growing demand and deliver service reliably – today, next month and for years to come.
TenneT and Equigy: As Europe pursues a wide-scale energy transition to renewables, smaller and more distributed providers are joining the grid, introducing volatility. TenneT, a leading electricity transmission systems operator (TSO), needed a new way to control the volatility in a highly weather-dependent electricity system. Using IBM Blockchain,leading European TSOs launched the Equigyplatform to crowd-balance supply.The ecosystem’s joint effort with blockchaincan better integrate renewables into the grid to helpsecurely and intelligently manage flows of electricity in networks with decentralized, distributed energy sources.The reduction of power redispatch measures could save millions of euros as the crowd-balancing network expands.
Wherever you are on your sustainability journey, IBM can help. With our deep domain and industry expertise, we can work with you to develop and implement the right strategies, operating models, intelligent workflows and technology innovation to achieve your sustainability goals.
To learn more about decarbonization, sustainable energy and clean electrification – and find out how recent government measures could spark a reinvention of the power grid – read “Electricity is infrastructure: Why the grid matters more than ever.”
You can also learn more about IBM sustainability solutions, and read the other blogs in our enterprise sustainability series:
Think 2021is IBM’sonline-only, free conference.Registerthen use this guide to find sessions like these two events focused on IBM’s commitment to the environment, as well as a conversation on the big trends and directions:
CUBE Interview with Kareem Yusuf, PhD, IBM General Manager and Wayne S. Balta, IBM Chief Sustainability Officer. Tune in to this interview to learn more about IBM’s history of commitment to the environment, our vision for a more sustainable future, and how we’ll help clients achieve their sustainability goals.
Trends & Directions: Empowering a resilient, sustainable future: Sustainability is a business imperative. Climate change, dwindling natural resources, and other hazards are disrupting business in unexpected ways, compelling organizations to transform the way they operate. Join us to learn how to tackle the most important challenges to your business with AI-powered solutions, intelligent automated workflows and open platforms to accelerate your journey to a resilient, sustainable future.
As cities globally grapple with the challenges of rapid urbanization, climate change, and the quest for sustainable development, the modernization of energy grids emerges as a linchpin for a resilient and eco-friendly urban future. The integration of advanced technologies into electricity, gas, and renewable energy grids holds the promise of not only meeting the increasing energy demands of urban populations but also drastically reducing environmental impact. In this article, we explore how energy grid modernization is reshaping urban sustainability, promoting efficiency, resilience, and a cleaner, greener energy landscape.
Challenges in Current Energy Grids:
1. Aging Infrastructure:
Many cities worldwide are burdened with aging energy infrastructure that was designed decades ago. The outdated grids face challenges in meeting the demands of modern urban life, resulting in inefficiencies, power losses, and increased vulnerability to disruptions. Upgrading the infrastructure becomes imperative to ensure a reliable and resilient energy supply (IEA, 2019).
2. Increasing Energy Demands:
Urbanization brings a surge in energy demands as populations grow, industries expand, and technological reliance intensifies. The existing energy grids, often designed for a different era, struggle to accommodate the escalating demand. Addressing the rising energy needs of cities necessitates not just incremental improvements but a fundamental transformation of the grid system (Hertwich et al., 2015).
3. Environmental Impact:
Conventional energy sources, especially those reliant on fossil fuels, contribute significantly to environmental degradation. Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and gas consumption play a substantial role in climate change. A shift towards renewable energy sources is vital to mitigate environmental impact and achieve sustainable urban development goals (IPCC, 2018).
The Imperative for Energy Grid Modernization:
1. Enhancing Efficiency Through Smart Grids:
Smart grids represent a paradigm shift in energy distribution. By integrating digital technologies, sensors, and real-time data analytics, smart grids optimize energy flow, reduce transmission losses, and enhance overall efficiency. Advanced metering systems empower consumers to monitor and manage their energy consumption, fostering a culture of energy conservation in urban communities (Farhangi, 2010).
2. Integrating Renewable Energy Sources:
The transition towards a sustainable urban energy landscape hinges on the integration of renewable energy sources. Modernized grids facilitate the seamless incorporation of solar, wind, and other renewable energy into the energy mix. Decentralized energy generation, such as rooftop solar panels, contributes not only to a cleaner environment but also to increased resilience by reducing dependence on centralized power plants (International Renewable Energy Agency, 2021).
3. Enabling Electrification of Transportation:
The modernization of energy grids aligns with the global push towards electrification of transportation. As cities transition to electric vehicles (EVs), upgraded grids play a pivotal role in supporting the charging infrastructure. Smart charging solutions, coupled with renewable energy sources, contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of urban transportation (IEA, 2020).
4. Enhancing Grid Resilience:
Climate change brings an increased frequency of extreme weather events, posing a threat to traditional energy infrastructure. Modernized grids are designed with resilience in mind, incorporating features such as microgrids, energy storage, and redundancy to withstand and recover from disruptions swiftly. Resilient energy grids contribute to urban preparedness and adaptability in the face of climate-related challenges (Albadi & El-Saadany, 2008).
5. Fostering Energy Equity:
Energy grid modernization can address disparities in energy access and affordability. By leveraging innovative financing models and ensuring the inclusivity of smart technologies, modernized grids can enhance energy equity. This involves not only providing access to clean and affordable energy but also empowering communities to actively participate in the energy transition (Goldman et al., 2016).
Strategies for Energy Grid Modernization:
About Copenhagen grid modernization
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