Technology group Wärtsilä has issued a call to action, urging swift measures to enable greater flexibility in global power systems amid a pivotal shift towards renewable energy sources.
As renewable deployment is poised to double by 2030, with inflexible generation anticipated to decline significantly, Wärtsilä underscores the imperative for rapid adaptation to avoid potential disruptions in energy supply and pricing.
At COP28, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change endorsed a transition away from fossil fuels, underlining the need to triple renewable power by 2030.
Wärtsilä emphasises the importance of deploying flexible technologies at scale to support this transition, mitigate curtailment risks and minimise emissions.
Anders Lindberg, President of Wärtsilä Energy, said: “We stand at a tipping point, with unprecedented levels of renewables being added globally over the next decade and huge volumes of traditional inflexible assets on the cusp of retirement.
“Over the past decade, we have transitioned from renewables requiring financial support to a position where inflexible assets, such as oil, coal and CCGTs (combined-cycle gas turbines) and nuclear are no longer viable without political support.
“This presents us with a unique opportunity: to add more renewable energy than ever before on to our grids, build the right level and right type of flexibility into our power systems and phase out inflexible assets while converting to sustainable fuels.
“Ultimately this will ensure a transition that fully phases out fossil fuels and is affordable, low carbon and resilient.”
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