Integrating green power into the power grid requires the addition or replacement of 80 million kilometers of transmission lines by 2040

On October 18th, according to a new report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday, by 2040, the world needs to add or replace 49.7 million miles (approximately 79

On October 18th, according to a new report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Tuesday, by 2040, the world needs to add or replace 49.7 million miles (approximately 79.98 million kilometers) of transmission lines in order to achieve global climate governance goals while ensuring energy security.

This quantity is roughly equivalent to the total mileage of the current global power grid.

The International Energy Agency stated that in order to achieve such large-scale transmission line construction, it is necessary to invest over $600 billion annually in the power grid by 2030, which is twice the current level of global transmission line investment.

In addition, the operation and regulatory methods of power grids in each country need to be adjusted accordingly.

The International Energy Agency stated that although global attention to clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, electric vehicles, and heat pumps is impressive, insufficient investment in transmission lines will ultimately become an increasing bottleneck.

Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, stated in a written statement accompanying the new report, "We have seen unprecedented progress in clean energy in many countries, which is optimistic. However, if governments and businesses do not work together to ensure that the global grid is prepared for the rapid rise of the global new energy economy, these developments may be at risk

This report shows the risks and actions that need to be taken. We must invest in the power grid today, otherwise we will face stagnation tomorrow, "Birol added.

Currently, there are 1500 gigawatts of renewable clean energy projects worldwide that are in what the International Energy Agency calls the "advanced development stage" and waiting to be connected to the global power grid. According to Microsoft co founder and climate investor Bill Gates in his book "How to Avoid Climate Disaster," a medium-sized city requires 1 gigawatt of electricity at some level.

The International Energy Agency stated that the 1500 gigawatt renewable clean energy project to be connected to the grid is five times the new global wind and solar power generation capacity in 2022.

As various sectors of the global economy transition towards electricity, the demand for electricity will continue to grow.

The initial purpose of the construction of the power grid was to transmit the electricity generated by the combustion of fossil fuels to places where electricity was needed. With global efforts to transition to a clean energy economy, the power grid will increasingly need to transmit electricity from places where wind and solar power are built to electricity consumption locations.

The International Energy Agency stated that further lagging behind transmission line construction will have serious consequences.

According to the International Energy Agency, if the growth of the power grid is slow, which is known as the "grid delay situation," there will be an additional emission of nearly 60 billion tons of carbon dioxide between 2030 and 2050. This is equivalent to the total emissions of the global power industry in the past four years.

In this situation, by 2050, the global average temperature will be "much higher" than the pre industrial revolution level of 1.5 degrees Celsius, with a 40% chance of exceeding 2 degrees Celsius.

One of the challenges lies in the longer construction time of transmission lines compared to other parts of energy infrastructure.

The International Energy Agency stated that building new transmission lines typically takes 5 to 15 years, including planning and licensing. In contrast, new renewable energy projects take 1 to 5 years, while new infrastructure for charging electric vehicles takes less than 2 years. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately invest in the improvement and growth of transmission line infrastructure, otherwise it will become an increasingly large and restrictive factor in global decarbonization plans.

The International Energy Agency stated that the construction of global transmission lines requires international cooperation. In a written statement, Birol stated: "Ensuring that developing countries have access to the resources needed to build and renovate power grids is an important task for the international community