Global Energy Interconnection vision and key technologies

Abstract

Nowadays, climate change characterized by global warming exerts a huge impact on natural ecosystems and human society, threatening the sustainable development increasingly. Global warming is mainly caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the realization of a low-carbon or even zero-carbon energy supply worldwide is the fundamental way to combat climate change. Under such circumstances, this paper introduces the concept, vision, construction planning, and key technologies of Global Energy Interconnection. Actually, Global Energy Interconnection is a large-scale energy platform for the highly efficient deployment of clean energy around the world. Establishing Global Energy Interconnection has many advantages. On one hand, it can build a new pattern of energy development with breaking through the resources in time and space, and environment constraints, and achieve sufficient clean energy supply efficiently. On the other hand, it can stimulate economic growth while strengthening the momentum of development, releasing the innovation dividends, promoting cooperation, and accelerating the coordinating development of the world economy. In addition, it can create a beautiful new life for the global society while improving the natural environment, achieving the ecological sustainable development, promoting the harmonious development of mankind, and accelerating the upgrading of civilization. The main solutions and key technology foundations of establishing Global Energy Interconnection include the large-scale clean energy development technology, UHV transmission technology, and smart grid technology. Global Energy Interconnection is composed of intercontinental backbone grids, intracontinental backbone grids and different voltage-level grids within countries. The construction of Global Energy Interconnection is divided into three phases: 2035, 2050, and 2070. Eventually, the "9 Horizontal and 9 Vertical" global energy interconnection backbone grid will be formed, which will widely connect large-scale clean energy bases and load centers, promoting large-scale, wide-area and highly-efficient optimal global allocation of clean energy. In general, the construction of Global Energy Interconnection has extremely high comprehensive benefits. Despite of technical feasibility, further improvements are still needed, including large-scale clean energy transmission and consumption, UHV flexible DC transmission technology, superconducting transmission technology, large power grid operation control technology and corresponding key equipments, etc. Moreover, the construction of Global Energy Interconnection also requires countries around the world to reach a consensus on political concepts and relevant policies, build a benign market environment, promote comprehensive technological progress in various industries, and provide solutions for large-scale development, global allocation, and efficient use of clean energy as well as the sustainable development of energy, economy, society and environment.