“We need international cooperation, a single energy market with an integrated pan-European grid based upon DC technology – Superconducting technology can be the building block for such a grid.”
This was the message from SuperNode CEO John Fitzgerald delivered at IET’s ‘Renewable Power Generation’ event in Dublin today.
Fitzgerald discussed the shortfalls of today’s technology and approach to renewable grid planning and the grids of tomorrow – What they will look like, why we need them and how we can develop them.
“The current point-to-point or patchwork approach will become unworkable well before we reach 2050. Europe must connect at least 2,000 GW of new renewables in only three decades to decarbonize our economies. Integrated or meshed DC grids are the future for integrating renewables at the scale required,” said Fitzgerald and continued.
“Unfortunately, today’s interests are prioritized over tomorrow’s wellbeing. Current technology will not get us there. It is time we acknowledge that we need innovative grid solutions and realise that the rest of the world is already moving, not least China. Europe needs a different approach but we can draw inspiration from examples the Chinese have given us from meshing, DC power and bulk power transfer. Europe needs something that is more publicly acceptable and deployable in a marine setting.”
John Fitzgerald was joined on the ‘Renewable Power Generation’ panel by notable speakers such as David Connolly CEO of Wind Energy Ireland and Keith Bell professor in smart grids at the University of Strathclyde.
View the full presentation here: Renewable-Energy-Future-Transmission-to-Decarbonise
Watch the full video here: