Category: Mega Trends & Analysis

Grid Expansion in US Midcontinent: MISO releases MTEP23 worth USD9 billion

Grid Expansion in US Midcontinent: MISO releases MTEP23 worth USD9 billion

Apr 29, 2024 |

Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) approved regional transmission organisation (RTO), recently released its approved 2023 MISO Transmission Expansion Plan (MTEP23). The scale and pace of grid evolution in the region, driven by the plans of electricity companies to decarbonise their generation mix and tackle anticipated load growth and ageing infrastructure, require prompt attention in order to develop the most efficient and cost-effective investments that will ensure grid reliability in future.

Read More
China could surpass a 50% EV sales share by 2025: IEA

China could surpass a 50% EV sales share by 2025: IEA

Apr 29, 2024 |

China is also the global leader in terms of electric share of the 2/3W fleet, with over one-third of all 2/3Ws being electric today, and is expected to remain the leader in electric 2/3W sales in both the STEPS and APS. In the STEPS, the sales share of electric 2/3Ws reaches nearly 90% in 2035; in the APS, the share is slightly above that by 2035. In China there is no gap between existing policy frameworks and future targets, and even more ambition is conceivable.

Read More
Wind Power Outlook for Brazil and US

Wind Power Outlook for Brazil and US

Apr 22, 2024 |

2023 was a pivotal year for the renewables industry in Brazil, characterised by the resumption of post-pandemic activities, a new national government and acceleration of offshore wind planning. However, it also presented significant challenges. Due to the IRA, power market consultants now expect 408 GW of utility wind, solar and storage to be built in the US over the next 7 years, compared to the expected 390 GW in February 2023. Breaking this figure down, onshore wind represents 23% of the market, growing from 7.5 GW in 2024 to 16 GW in 2030 and offshore wind expectations are approximately 14 GW by 2030. 

Read More
Scaling up renewables in Central and Eastern Europe 

Scaling up renewables in Central and Eastern Europe 

Apr 15, 2024 |

As 3SI countries exit from fossil fuels, electrification and sector coupling driven by clean technologies will provide new opportunities for local communities. Going forward, the expansion of wind and solar can lead to independence from fossil fuel imports and turn the CEE region into a clean energy hub. This will improve the bloc’s energy security in the face of war, while also strengthening grid resilience, local economies and fostering innovation in an increasingly electrified world in the long term.

Read More
US Solar Market Remains Heavily Reliant on Imported Goods

US Solar Market Remains Heavily Reliant on Imported Goods

Apr 8, 2024 |

The US currently has the makings of a strong solar manufacturing supply chain, but increased support is critical to regain solar manufacturing competitiveness. Filling these support gaps is possible, and in doing so, the US can improve its energy security and market leadership as the world increasingly looks to solar PV technology to generate low cost electricity in the face of the continuing climate crisis. Strong, consistent, and unwavering policy support for domestic solar manufacturing can lay the foundation to make the US, the nation that invented solar modules, a leader in modern solar energy manufacturing.

Read More
South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels is delayed

South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels is delayed

Apr 1, 2024 |

South Korea’s energy security policies and business strategies have been misconstrued to focus on securing fossil fuels for power supply stability and affordability.  South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels has been slow, despite ambitious targets set in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce fossil fuel use in the power sector to 23.7% and increase renewable energy to 30.6% by 2036. In 2023, fossil fuels still accounted for 58.5% of the power mix, while renewable energy contributed only 9.64%.

Read More
Brazil’s Transmission Outlook: Strategic plan for expanding grid over next decade

Brazil’s Transmission Outlook: Strategic plan for expanding grid over next decade

Mar 16, 2024 |

Brazil’s electricity outlook seems positive, with the government actively working to maintain grid stability. The country has opened the transmission sector for private participation and is actively providing regulatory and policy support for the same. In the electricity sector, the country is actively working towards limiting its dependency on hydropower projects to reduce its vulnerability to extreme weather conditions.

Read More
Grid plans misaligned with renewable energy targets in Europe: EMBER

Grid plans misaligned with renewable energy targets in Europe: EMBER

Mar 16, 2024 |

Grid investments across Europe must be stepped up and planning processes fully aligned with the new reality of the energy transition. Grids have recently skyrocketed onto the political agenda. As clean technology deployment surges forward, it is increasingly coming up against the bottleneck of insufficient grid capacity, leading to connection delays, curtailment and increased costs for consumers. The analysis, based on 35 national grid development plans from European Transmission System Operators (TSOs) of electricity, shows that planned network developments in a number of countries are out of step with the reality of the energy transition.

Read More
Floating Solar in Europe: Potential, growth trends and opportunities

Floating Solar in Europe: Potential, growth trends and opportunities

Mar 8, 2024 |

Floating solar is already a well-established market in the south of Europe owing to plenty of sunshine that the area receives. Many of these countries, in fact, have supportive policy instruments for floating solar. Taking lessons from the south, the northern nations are also now witnessing large uptake as they have abundant water bodies. Offshore solar is also expected to become a big market in the coming years in the continent with some policy developments already underway.

Read More
Coal continues to be undercut by new wind and solar in EU: EMBER

Coal continues to be undercut by new wind and solar in EU: EMBER

Feb 17, 2024 |

The EU electricity mix reached a new milestone with more than two-thirds of electricity coming from clean sources for the first time. Wind and solar combined to produce 27% (721 TWh) of total EU electricity generation – more than nuclear at 23% (619 TWh) and hydro at 12% (317 TWh). Bioenergy and other renewables contributed a further 5.9% (159 TWh). The share of fossil generation fell to its lowest ever – just a third (33%) of total generation, down six percentage points from 39% in 2022.

Read More
America’s Rooftop Solar Potential Still Remains Largely Untapped

America’s Rooftop Solar Potential Still Remains Largely Untapped

Feb 16, 2024 |

Rooftop solar generation in the U.S. increased more than 10x in the last decade. The U.S. has so far only tapped about 1/28th of rooftop solar potential. Rooftop solar likely has the technical potential to generate electricity equivalent to about 45% of all national electricity sales at the 2022 level of demand. In 2022, the U.S. only generated about 1.5% of all electricity used from rooftop solar.

Read More
Developing Australia’s Solar PV Supply Chain 

Developing Australia’s Solar PV Supply Chain 

Feb 12, 2024 |

Developing an economically viable, relevant, and timely solar PV manufacturing supply chain in Australia will require a comprehensive policy strategy. First and foremost, there are critical enabling requirements which need to be addressed to create an attractive investment environment and provide investment certainty during the project development phase. Any financial support provided must ensure appropriate policy design and selection/eligibility criteria to align with broader government objectives.

Read More
Electricity Outlook for the Americas

Electricity Outlook for the Americas

Feb 5, 2024 |

Strong growth in renewable power increasingly displaces fossil-fired generation. Electricity demand is estimated to have declined by 0.4% in 2023, largely because of fall in US demand due to milder weather bringing down the average. Due to strong growth in renewables, the share of fossil fuels in electricity generation is expected to fall from 50% in 2022 to 44% in 2026.

Read More
Renewables Development Plan of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam

Renewables Development Plan of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam

Feb 5, 2024 |

To address the challenge of emissions reduction, Indonesia is actively deliberating a forthcoming power development plan. Malaysia has initiated its first Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). Renewable energy (including hydro power generation) holds a 22% share in the Philippines. The Thai government targets 30% of its EV production by 2025 to counter declining fossil fuel excise tax revenues. Vietnam’s eagerly anticipated Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) is finally approved.

Read More
Bavaria’s Onshore Wind Potential Remains Untapped: EMBER

Bavaria’s Onshore Wind Potential Remains Untapped: EMBER

Jan 29, 2024 |

This report examines the untapped potential of onshore wind in Bavaria and how increased deployment could strengthen the region’s energy sovereignty and reduce the costs of continued high dependence on imported gas. The Bavarian government has set a target to double the amount of electricity generated from renewables from 40 TWh to 78 TWh by 2030.

Read More
ASEAN’s target of 35% of operating renewables capacity by 2025 is easily attainable: Global Energy Monitor

ASEAN’s target of 35% of operating renewables capacity by 2025 is easily attainable: Global Energy Monitor

Jan 22, 2024 |

ASEAN member states have set a collective renewable energy capacity target of 35% by 2025. Including all types of renewable power, the region is already close to meeting its goal by currently having 32% of its total capacity sourced from renewables. The region currently has 28 GW of large utility-scale solar and wind power in operation, accounting for 9% of total electrical capacity in the region. ASEAN would have to build 17 GW of utility-scale wind and solar capacity by 2025 to reach this goal.

Read More
EU Grid Action Plan: Seeks to address missing links of energy transition

EU Grid Action Plan: Seeks to address missing links of energy transition

Jan 8, 2024 |

EU’s electricity consumption is expected to increase by around 60 per cent between now and 2030. The EC’s Action Plan for Grids aims to address the missing links of the clean energy transition. It will ensure that EU grids operate more efficiently and are rolled out further and faster. It addresses the main challenges in expanding, digitising and better using EU electricity T&D grids.

Read More
Promising clean energy technologies to watch for

Promising clean energy technologies to watch for

Dec 27, 2023 |

The clean energy landscape is rapidly changing, with major capacity add­itions, technology advancements and ev­olving market dynamics. Currently, there is a focus on developing ca­pabilities and capacities across all verticals of renewable energy. Thus, various new technologies and business models are expected to gain traction as various nations transition to a greener tomorrow. This article highlights the top concepts and technologies that hold big promise in the clean energy ecosystem of the future.

Read More
Loading