Nervous systems of global functioning become less efficient – IEA

By Marta Koblańska, February 19, 11:30, photo: Light factory, author: Jimmy, Pixabay

Global power demand is to almost double by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency forecast. That stipulates an additional 50 million kilometers of grids are needed to meet the requirements.

Currently, our planet is wrapped with 80 million kilometers of electricity grids. That distance is enough to reach the moon and back 100 times. Grids are essential infrastructure for electricity transmission nowadays crucial for people and industry. Electrification has been set as one of the leading standards of civilization advancement and thus the standard of living.

 Energy in a wrap

International Energy Agency foresees that to meet the rising demand for electricity driven by both emerging and advanced economies an additional 50 million kilometers of grids are needed by 2040. At the same time, the next 30 million kilometers would need to be refurbished. However, the standard we have now is the result of investments over the past 40 years with the last 15 rather in stagnation. Now, just 15 new have been left.

– If countries abandon investments in grids, they may fail to meet their goals of development, says Dr Fatih Birol, IEA chief.

In accordance with the IEA statement, the electricity demand is accelerating from industry and the growing use of air conditioning, appliances, electric vehicles, heat pumps, artificial intelligence (which needs huge amounts of data and costs energy), and other technologies.

So another word, our ,,techno” development consumes energy in huge amounts. Along with technology upgrades and new, let’s say tools, which we like or not but use or try to use to stay in touch, both the demand and advance are speeding up. The one who is not to adjust will lie behind. The security of some may be disrupted. The fact that energy, as Alessandro Blasi of IEA says, may be the most traded good, does not imply it is being sold always in a needed amount. At the same time, new minerals seem to be crucial for the so-called green transformation.