Wind and solar power could reach a wider population by 2030 — thanks to a cutting-edge solution from the electric services corporation GE Vernova, reported Renewable Energy Magazine.
GE Vernova, working together with four Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from Germany, will craft the groundbreaking High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology — then oversee its integration into (and use within) a functional energy system, Renewable Energy Magazine explained.
Energy sources such as wind and solar generate affordable power and bring big benefits, most notably, by reducing the harmful pollution created by "dirty energy" methods. When coal, oil, and gas are burned for fuel, they release toxic substances that contaminate our air and water — placing our health, food supply, wildlife, finances, weather conditions, and more in danger.
Not so with sustainable energy. It's a win-win: In addition to supporting healthier humans and calmer climates, fuel sources like wind and solar can also boost "reliability, security, and resilience of the power grid," enhance American "energy independence," add jobs, and cut costs for businesses and individuals, noted the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
But with those perks comes significant challenges for wind and solar energy providers, one of which is distance: With many wind farms and solar panels placed in remote locales, it can be difficult to transmit the power they generate to cities and other densely populated regions.
That's where HVDC comes in: Per another DOE explanation, "HVDC can increase the power grid's capacity to receive, transmit, and deliver energy more efficiently than existing solutions … and help reduce the cost of transmitting electricity over long distances."
The innovative technology "is essential to integrating renewable wind and solar energy into the grid," added Renewable Energy Magazine, describing the first-of-its-kind GE Vernova initiative as "a highly efficient electron highway" that streamlines and supports sustainable power so that, once generated, it can quickly get wherever it needs to go.
The project, currently under research and development through the end of 2025, is slated for a 2026 "implementation phase," followed by its "commercial deployment … by 2029," Renewable Energy Magazine detailed.
It's an ambitious five-year plan that aligns with German policies attempting to reach 80% renewable electricity sourcing in the country before 2030, said Clean Energy Wire, a German climate news outlet — noting that, per Germany's economy minister Robert Habeck, the goal "is very much achievable for Germany if current positive trends persist."
But Germany is not the only nation investing in a tech-forward sustainable future or putting HVDC in the spotlight. The U.S. government's HVDC COst REduction (CORE) initiative, announced in Aug. 2023, aims "to develop and domestically manufacture HVDC transmission technologies to meet all U.S. market demands by 2035 in a cost competitive manner," said the DOE.
Continuing to vote pro-climate candidates into political office will help ensure that these types of programs can exist — so that, in the next decade, sustainable energy becomes seamless to access no matter where you live.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
