From Source to Storage: The Path to Green Energy Transition

The world is at a critical juncture, grappling with the urgent need to transition towards sustainable energy sources. This article navigates the multifaceted journey from the generation of green energy to its distribution and storage, examining challenges, innovations, and opportunities along the way.

The Urgency of Green Energy Transition

Global electricity demand is set to double by mid-century, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions. The fight against climate change has hastened the shift towards green energy sources, which involves not only generating renewable energy but also distributing and storing it.

The Landscape of Renewable Energy

The renewable energy sector has grown remarkably. In 2022, almost 78GW of wind power capacity was added globally. However, meeting ambitious targets requires addressing challenges in people and skills, supply chain expansion, and infrastructure development.

Challenges and Drivers of the Green Energy Transition

1. People and Skills: There is a projected significant shortfall of approximately 7 million skilled professionals globally in the renewable energy industry by 2030. This shortage spans various disciplines, including electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. The industry's growth hinges on both increasing the workforce and implementing a robust skills initiative for career changers and recent graduates.      
2. Supply Chain Expansion: The growth in renewable energy requires an increase in production capacity for essential components. This includes wind turbines, cables, and foundations. The entire supply chain must expand to meet demand. Regional development poses challenges due to environmental considerations and government requirements for local content.
3. Infrastructure Upgrades: The transition from centralised power generation to decentralised renewable sources necessitates a fundamental overhaul of the grid infrastructure. It is imperative to establish new geographical power lines that connect production and consumption areas, as well as upgrade the grid. These changes are essential to accommodate the diverse sources of energy and address the temporal and geographical differences in production and consumption.

Energy Storage: Balancing Act for Green Energy

The integration of energy storage technologies is crucial in the transition to green energy. Energy storage enables efficient storage and release of renewable energy, balancing supply and demand. It is forecasted that the deployment of energy storage will significantly increase, with a cumulative capacity of over 700 gigawatt hours by 2030.

Opportunities and Advancements

Although the challenges are significant, the transition to green energy also presents many opportunities:

• Job Creation and Business Growth: The transition stimulates new industry growth, creating jobs not only in the implementation phase but also in the operational phase of renewable power plants.
• Global Business Shift: As renewables become the primary energy source, there is potential for a geographical shift in business creation. New locations could benefit from producing and selling electricity, fostering economic growth.
• Innovations in Technology: Ongoing innovations span digitalization, floating foundations for wind turbines, and standardized integration of renewables into real estate, infrastructure, and agriculture. These advancements contribute to the efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy systems.

Alexander Heitmann, Global Business Line Manager for Renewable Energy Services at TÜV SÜD offers an optimistic outlook for the future of the green energy transition:

“Despite anticipated challenges in the next few years, I foresee a phase of strong and focused development, supported by technological innovations and societal recognition of the benefits of renewable energy."

TÜV SÜD's Role in the Green Energy Transition

TÜV SÜD plays a crucial role in supporting companies along their green energy journey. With a focus on ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient development, construction, and operation of renewable energy plants, TÜV SÜD's engineers and experts contribute to the industry's growth and sustainability.

Do you want to delve deeper into the world of green energy transition and learn more about the challenges, opportunities and innovations? In our latest episode of the "Sustainability unravelled" podcast Alexander Heitmann shares his expert insights. Tune in to our podcast now!