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New Swedish research has shown that building global supergrids across continents need not necessarily lead to increased investment in solar energy. The scientists outlined the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) concept, which advocates the development of a global supergrid spanning 18 time zones. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have studied how a global power grid spanning the Americas, Europe, the MENA region, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania could facilitate the integration of solar energy and transmit clean energy worldwide at all times. “The Green Grids – One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative consists of three phases,” Xiaoming Kan, lead author of the research, explains to pv magazine . “In the first phase, the Indian power grid will be connected to grids in South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In the second phase, this grid will be connected to African regions with abundant renewable energy resources. Finally, the third phase will complete a global interconnected grid that will be accessible to all countries.” Kan also explained that a global network connecting the entire world is an ambitious concept that requires unprecedented levels of international cooperation, coordination and trust. “Given current geopolitical tensions, such as trade disputes and regional conflicts, the viability of a global supergrid remains uncertain,” he added. “These tensions could hamper collaboration and complicate negotiations related to cost sharing, governance structures and operational frameworks.” However, geopolitical factors could also act as catalysts for supergrid development in specific contexts, particularly in regions with strong geopolitical alliances and favourable political conditions. “For example, EU countries’ transport networks are already interconnected,” Kan explains. “In general, establishing supergrid connections between neighbouring countries with strong relationships is probably more feasible than connecting distant countries that require the cooperation of multiple intermediary nations.” In the study, “ Chasing the eternal sun: Does a global super grid favor the deployment of solar power?” published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews , the research team explained that a global super grid may not be an effective solution for managing variability in solar power production, primarily due to the high costs associated with transmission networks. Overall, battery storage offers a more cost-effective solution for dealing with variability in solar power, while grid expansion is more effective for managing variability in wind power, the paper notes. “Moreover, the impact of grid expansion on the share of wind and solar in the electricity supply mix diminishes when the system incorporates a significant share of dispatchable power generation, such as nuclear,” Kan notes. “This is especially relevant for many developing countries, where electricity generation remains dominated by fossil fuels. Furthermore, solar PV deployment is often driven by a variety of factors, including national climate policies, government incentives, and energy security goals. As such, substantial growth in PV installations is likely to occur regardless of the availability of a global supergrid.” The researchers found that such a grid can reduce electricity system costs by 1.2% to 6.5%, with an average value of 3.8%. They also found that it can reduce investments in solar power, even with transmission networks spanning 18 time zones. “These results indicate that a global supergrid, such as the one envisioned by OSOWOG, may not be an effective tool to stimulate solar power deployment,” they say. “The economic benefits of expanding the OSOWOG initiative’s global supergrid appear quite limited.” |
