The Global Grid

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept of a global electricity grid that connects renewable energy sources worldwide, highlighting its feasibility, economic benefits, and potential to transform energy markets and infrastructure.

Contribution

It introduces the idea of a globally interconnected electricity network, analyzing its technological feasibility, economic advantages, and operational frameworks.

Findings

Global grid can be technologically feasible.

It offers economic competitiveness.

It enables smoothing renewable energy supply.

Abstract

This paper puts forward the vision that a natural future stage of the electricity network could be a grid spanning the whole planet and connecting most of the large power plants in the world: this is the "Global Grid". The main driving force behind the Global Grid will be the harvesting of remote renewable sources, and its key infrastructure element will be the high capacity long transmission lines. Wind farms and solar power plants will supply load centers with green power over long distances. This paper focuses on the introduction of the concept, showing that a globally interconnected network can be technologically feasible and economically competitive. We further highlight the multiple opportunities emerging from a global electricity network such as smoothing the renewable energy supply and electricity demand, reducing the need for bulk storage, and reducing the volatility of the energy prices. We also discuss possible investment mechanisms and operating schemes. Among others, we envision in such a system a global power market and the establishment of two new coordinating bodies, the "Global Regulator" and the "Global System Operator".