To meet global climate commitments, more than 80 million kilometres of transmission networks need to be added or refurbished by 2040 globally, equivalent to the entire existing global network. However, of the $770 billion spent annually on clean energy in emerging and developing economies, only one-fifth is invested in building and expanding power grids. This is worrying, as the annual investment needs in electricity grids represent almost 38% of the investment needed to reach the zero emissions scenario by 2050.
Expanding power grids is essential to integrating renewables and meeting regional climate commitments, although it faces significant challenges. Environmental licensing processes, which can delay projects by 5 to 7 years, together with socio-territorial conflicts and the lack of innovative financial mechanisms, complicate the progress of these initiatives. The success of this transformation will depend on the implementation of innovative solutions, the adoption of advanced technologies such as High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC), and the establishment of effective community engagement processes. In a context of growing climate urgency, what will be the tools that will be available to the actors in the region's energy sector to overcome these obstacles and build a transmission system adequate to the needs of the 21st century?
