Highlights of massive electrification in Asia Pacific grid connections

Forecasted massive growth in electrification across Asia Pacific raises the pressure to ensure that adequate grid infrastructure is in place to avoid slowing down the energy transition, according to DNV GL, which delivers global advisory, certification, and testing services to stakeholders in the energy value chain. The company’s latest Energy Transition Outlook 2020 – an independent model of the world energy system to mid-century – predicts dominant or near-dominant roles for renewable in the Asia-Pacific’s electricity mix in 2050. The model’s forecasts include:

In Greater China, notably China itself, the share of electricity in final energy demand will more than double from 23 percent in 2018 to 52 percent in 2050 – the highest such share in mid-century among all regions in the Outlook. Onshore and offshore wind and solar photovoltaic will dominate the electricity mix in 2050, with hydropower taking renewable’ share to 86 percent. Greater China will then have the second highest such share for wind  and among the highest solar PV shares of all regions.

In South East Asia, electricity met 16 percent of final energy demand in 2018 and will reach 42 percent in mid-century, when solar PV will supply 30 percent of electricity, and wind 14 percent. Multilateral trade and interconnection in the future will spur deployment of variable renewable, with the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project as a step towards this.

In the Indian Subcontinent, where the figures are dominated by India, electricity’s share in the final energy demand will almost triple from 2018 to reach 42 percent in 2050. Solar PV will have a 37 percent share in the electricity mix in mid-century – the highest such share among all regions – and wind 16 percent.

In OECD Pacific, electricity will satisfy 47 percent of final energy demand in 2050, compared with 24 percent in 2018. Wind will supply 48 percent of the electricity mix in mid-century, and solar PV 31 percent.

Early collaboration is key to ensuring grid connections

Public policies needed to drive the decarbonisation of energy

The technological building blocks for the next phase of decarbonising energy in buildings and manufacturing are available at prices that are cost-effective for many customers and applications, added Nicolas Renon: “Now, the challenges include putting the public policies and private-sector business models in place to accelerate adoption.” The policies, he suggested, include transparent, stable carbon-pricing mechanisms, and making electricity affordable for all. “Through advising power and renewable projects worldwide, and providing services such as certification, DNV GL can bring independent perspective to a range of discussions required for efficient projects, operations, and integration with grids.”