The International Energy Agency (IEA) has stated that by 2040, the world must either add or replace 50 million miles of transmission lines.

• In order to achieve their climate goals and energy security priorities, countries must add or replace 49.7 million miles of transmission lines by 2040, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.
• The IEA predicts that the global construction of transmission lines will necessitate an annual investment of over $600 billion in electric grids by 2030, which is twice the current global investment in transmission lines.
• Around the world, there are 1,500 gigawatts of renewable clean energy projects in advanced stages of development, which is enough to power a mid-size city.

In order to achieve their climate goals and energy security priorities, countries must add or replace 49.7 million miles of transmission lines by 2040, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

The total number of miles of electric grid in the world is roughly equivalent to the amount of electric grid that currently exists, according to the IEA.

The IEA predicts that the global construction of transmission lines will necessitate an annual investment of over $600 billion in electric grids by 2030, which is twice the current global investment in transmission lines.

The rewritten sentence is: "The operation and regulation of the electric grid in each country will need to be changed in order to accommodate the increasing demand for renewable energy sources."

While the world's emphasis on clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, electric vehicles, and heat pumps is commendable, the IEA warns that inadequate investment in transmission lines will eventually become a significant obstacle, hindering progress.

If governments and businesses fail to collaborate, the unprecedented clean energy advancements seen in many countries could be jeopardized, according to Fatih Birol, IEA executive director, in a written statement accompanying a new report.

Birol stated that this report outlines the risks and necessary actions, emphasizing the urgent need for grid investments to prevent future congestion.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that 1,500 gigawatts of renewable clean energy projects are in advanced stages of development and await connection to the electric grid worldwide. According to Bill Gates, a mid-size city requires a gigawatt of electricity, as stated in his book, "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster."

According to the IEA, the 1,500 gigawatts of renewable clean energy projects waiting to be connected to the electric grid is five times the total wind and solar power added around the globe in 2022.

The global economy's transition to electric power will result in a persistent increase in electricity demand.

The construction of electric grids was aimed at transporting electricity from areas where fossil fuels were burned to those where it was required. In the pursuit of a clean energy economy, the electric grid will increasingly need to transmit electricity from wind and solar farms to where it is consumed.

The IEA warns that the repercussions of not catching up on the construction of transmission lines are severe.

If the electric grid grows slowly, the IEA predicts that an additional 60 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be released between 2030 and 2050, which is equivalent to the total emissions released by the power sector worldwide over the past four years.

The IEA predicts that global temperature averages in 2050 will be "significantly above" 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a 40% chance of exceeding 2 degrees Celsius, which is the goal of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Building transmission lines is a slow process compared to other parts of the energy infrastructure.

To achieve global decarbonization plans, it is crucial to invest in the improvement and growth of transmission line infrastructure now, as it takes between five and 15 years to build new transmission lines, including planning and permitting, while new renewable energy projects take between one and five years, and new infrastructure for charging electric vehicles takes less than two years, according to the IEA.

The IEA emphasizes the need for international cooperation in building transmission lines globally, stating that it is crucial for the developing world to have the necessary resources to modernize their electricity grids.