Use of renewable energy sources, especially solar, continues to grow worldwide as solar energy prices continue to drop relative to conventional sources. However, solar energy cannot be relied on at night, forcing a switch to other energy sources, including fossil fuels. The “Green Grids” initiative, developed originally by the International Solar Alliance, seeks to bolster energy grid connections between countries, allowing areas to draw on solar energy being produced elsewhere, even at night. Britain and India introduced the plan at COP 26 held in Glasgow, Scotland.
The initiative was backed by over 80 countries at the COP26 conference, and could help countries with fewer resources meet emission reduction goals. However, such an initiative could be costly, requiring undersea, over mountain, and other technically challenging cabling. The initiative was not announced with funding or cost figures, but the International Solar Alliance hopes to partner with the World Bank and philanthropic organizations to create a 10 billion dollar fund to help ease the burden on countries, and mitigate risk for investors.
The timeline for the initiative was not announced, as negotiations for the creation of such grid linkage could be long.
Dr. Mehraj Awal is a medical writer living in Massachusetts. Although he is professionally trained in medical sciences, the impact of climate change is undeniable, and he hopes to inform others as best possible.
