The world’s energy system is ‘no longer fit for purpose,’ says energy council chief
Wind power generation and shoal aquaculture are seen at a demonstration base of coastal shoal industry in Yancheng City, East China’s Jiangsu province, May 16, 2023. (Photo credit should read Lu Hongjie / CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Lu Hongjie | Future Publishing | Getty Images
The world’s energy system is no longer “fit for purpose,” according to World Energy Council CEO Angela Wilkinson, who alluded to lackluster momentum toward a planned green energy transition.
“The most recent pulse from April shows that the world energy system is no longer fit for purpose,” Wilkinson told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” Wednesday, in reference to the findings from her organization’s Energy Pulse reports which offer snapshots of trends across the energy ecosystem.
The council’s most recent report forecasts that around half of the global energy system will still not be electrified by 2050, which would mark a blow to many governments’ net-zero pledges.
“The concern from most energy leaders is [that] the pace of change is too slow to keep us on track for the Paris Agreement,” she continued. The report cited 64% of global energy leaders sharing their concerns.
The world’s governments agreed in the 2015 Paris climate accord to limit global heating to well below 2 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The slow pace of the planned energy transition could be attributed to stresses on energy capacities and security even before the coronavirus pandemic, Wilkinson said.
Following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, global energy markets have also been impacted by a series of setbacks: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Europe’s decision to decouple from Russian hydrocarbons and a looming global recession. Which has caused energy markets, and the global system, to tread a fine balance.
“We are trying to grow [and] build a double size energy system to meet demand, [and] at the same time, decarbonize the energy system faster than ever before,” Wilkinson told CNBC.
Taxes an impossible feat?
The planned journey to net zero has been underpinned by a variety of toolkits aimed at shifting energy mixes away from fossil fuels toward zero or low-emissions energy sources. One approach is the adoption of carbon taxes, which is a fee levied on greenhouse gas emitters for each ton of carbon they emit.
Forty-six countries are pricing emissions by means of carbon taxes or other emissions trading programs, according to data last year from the International Monetary Fund.
“A global carbon tax would just be impossible to administer,” Wilkinson said. “There’s no such thing as a true market price of energy, or a true market price of carbon, because you’ve got subsidies, you’ve got regulations, you’ve got very uneven economies and playing fields.”
The importance of the tax lies in its price signaling mechanism for both investors and consumers, she added. “There is a cost of carbon that needs to be borne by societies … so the signal’s important.”
Germany is about to become home to Europe’s largest battery storage system – a massive 1 gigawatt (GW) / 4 gigawatt-hour (GWh) project in Jänschwalde, Brandenburg.
LEAG Clean Power GmbH and Fluence Energy GmbH, a subsidiary of US-based Fluence Energy (NASDAQ: FLNC), are teaming up to build the “GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000.” The four-hour system will use Fluence’s Smartstack technology, its latest large-scale energy storage solution.
Once complete, Europe’s largest battery storage project will play a key role in stabilizing Germany’s grid and storing renewable power for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. It’s designed to deliver essential grid services, support energy trading, and boost energy security as the country phases out fossil fuels.
LEAG’s broader “GigawattFactory” plan combines solar and wind farms with flexible power plants and large-scale batteries across Germany’s Lusatian energy region. “By constructing gigascale storage facilities, we’re addressing one of the biggest challenges of the energy transition: ensuring constant power regardless of the availability of renewable energies,” said Adi Roesch, CEO of the LEAG Group.
Fluence CEO Julian Nebreda described the project as a “milestone for the energy future of Germany and Europe,” adding that it demonstrates how collaboration and cutting-edge technology can “transform the foundation of our economy and our everyday lives.”
The German government recently reaffirmed the importance of storage in building a secure and affordable clean power system. With this 4 GWh giant, LEAG and Fluence are implementing that priority in one of Europe’s most coal-heavy regions.
Read more: Battery boom: 5.6 GW of US energy storage added in Q2
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![The Genesis GV90 is shaping up to be a real stunner [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Genesis-GV90-ultra-luxury-SUV.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The GV90 will be the brand’s largest, most luxurious SUV yet. With its official debut coming up, a production version of the Genesis GV90 was spotted in public for the first time, offering a closer look at the stunning SUV.
The Genesis GV90 is a stunning flagship SUV
Genesis vehicles already have a unique design that’s hard to miss. The big Creste Grille, Two-Line Quad Lamps, and smooth character lines offer a refined, luxurious look, but Genesis is planning to take it to the next level with the GV90.
The GV90 is an “ultra-luxe, state-of-the-art SUV,” according to Genesis. It will be the luxury brand’s new flagship vehicle and first full-size electric SUV.
We got our first look at the flagship SUV last March after Genesis unveiled the Neolun concept at the New York Auto Show.
The GV90 has been spotted out in public several times now, even flashing high-end features like coach doors and adaptive air suspension, but now, we are finally getting our first look at the production version in real life.
A new video from HealerTV shows the production version of the Genesis GV90 in action. Although it’s still covered in camo, you can see a few slight design changes from the concept shown last year.
The headlights and grille appear closer in design to its current vehicles, but other than that, the GV90 looks essentially the same up front as the Neolun concept.
Since it’s still covered, it’s hard to see where the headlights are connected at this point. From the side and rear, the GV90 looks identical to the concept.
Genesis has yet to announce an official launch date, but the GV90 could debut by the end of the year with sales expected to kick off in mid-2026.
The flagship SUV is rumoured to be the first vehicle to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which it claims will “provide 50% improvement in driving range” compared to its current EVs. It will also serve as a tech beacon, featuring Hyundai’s most advanced connectivity and safety tech.
We will learn official prices and final specs soon, but one thing is for sure: it won’t be cheap. The Genesis GV90 is expected to start at around $100,000, but higher trims could cost significantly more with added features and options.
Genesis is also introducing its first hybrid, the GV80, next year, followed by its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) based on the GV70. The EREV is expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027. There’s also an off-road SUV in the works, which will likely arrive as a 2027 model.
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