The US needs to triple transmission investment and use Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) to support this goal, concludes a white paper by Brattle Group and the Watt Coalition. There are more than 10,000 projects adding up to over two terawatts of new capacity awaiting grid connection. When compared to major new transmission investments, GETs can be implemented much faster and often for a small fraction of the cost. GETs enhance transmission investments, acting more as a tool to augment, akin to a GPS or tire air pressure sensor making driving easier—not by themselves replacing the car.

Offshore wind capacity is expected to grow by 18.4 GW in 2023, a record, with China accounting for over half of this total. By 2030, the annual total will reach 45.7 GW, mainly due to the mature markets of China, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, but emerging markets such as the US, Taiwan, France, South Korea, Poland and Japan will also make significant contributions. From 2031 to 2035, the report says that installations will average 45.6 GW per year, peaking at 48.2 GW in 2035.

After reaching an all-time high globally in 2022, CO2 emissions from power generation will stay steady through 2025. While the EU’s natural gas-fired power generation is forecast to fall, growth in the Middle East will partly offset this. Declines in coal-fired generation in Europe and the Americas will likely be matched by a rise in Asia-Pacific. More than 70% of the increase in global electricity demand through 2025 is to come from China, India and Southeast Asia. However, considerable uncertainties remain over China as it emerges from Covid restrictions.