Smart Grid: Report points to a big to-do list: 124 countries need a new energy architecture

Report points to a big to-do list: 124 countries need a new energy architecture Apr 24, 2012

Quick take: Smart grid sales will have their ups and downs, but this report from the World Economic Forum reveals that there are strong underlying drivers that will keep the sector busy for at least the next two decades. – Jesse Berst

Some startling numbers surfaced in a new report on the energy systems of 124 countries just released by the World Economic Forum. Among them: $38 trillion (U.S. dollars) of global investment in energy supply infrastructure is required by 2035 to keep up with an added 40% rising energy consumption in the same time span.

New Energy Architecture: Enabling an Effective Transition– produced in collaboration with Accenture– reports that the energy systems of 124 countries are currently not ready for a transition to a sustainable and secure energy architecture required to harness economic growth. In fact, the report suggests that while a number of developing nations continue to struggle to supply citizens with basic energy needs, an estimated 1.3 billion people worldwide are still without access to electricity at all.

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“Never before have we experienced such pressure for change in the way we source, supply and consume energy,” explained Roberto Bocca, Senior Director, Head of Energy Industries, for the World Economic Forum. “Decision-makers must understand how they are being impacted by the changing dynamics and how they can effectively create desired change, especially as the choices they make will determine the speed, direction and cost of the transition.”

The report suggests that a country-specific approach is needed to enable effective transformation. It includes in-depth country studies on India and Japan to highlight practical applications that can lead to a new energy architecture.

http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/Business_Global/Report-points-to-a-big-to-do-list-124-countries-need-a-new-energy-architecture-4725-page2.html