Transforming power grids for an efficient future

With a fast-growing global population and increasing levels of industrialization, demand for electricity is expected to soar 60 percent between now and 2040. That means power grids will be called on to transmit more power, more efficiently. And to do so, they’ll have to adapt to an evolving energy landscape. Today’s grid is still structured around transmitting electricity from a handful of large, centralized power plants running on coal, oil, gas and nuclear. While these will continue to dominate the mix for years to come, renewables are increasingly making their presence felt—and are expected to supply a third of global power by 2040. With renewables growth comes an increasingly diverse distribution network—from remote and offshore generation sites to microgrids. All must be brought together to ensure we continue to have a reliable, resilient power supply. The challenge now is that the majority of power grids are made up of decades-old infrastructure that’s simply not—yet—up to the task. Read The Complete Article