There is not one silver bullet for the energy transition (but many)

Partnerships and collaboration will be key drivers on our path to net zero.

To make the global transition to a low-carbon and ultimately no-carbon economy happen, we need plenty of out-of-the-box thinking. Most importantly, we need collaboration and partnerships that bring change to every level of today’s carbon economy.

Last week I posted here about the fact that everyone – governments, industries and all of us – must accelerate the energy transition to achieve the low-carbon and net zero economy we need to contain climate change.

Let me repeat my most important point: I am certain that we can make the transition work – and that we must make it work. However, I would like to expand on one crucial observation:? there is no silver bullet solution to deliver the energy transition. We can’t reach net zero simply by getting rid of all vehicles with internal combustion engines or – apologies for my sarcasm – abolishing plastic straws (sensible though both things are).

Our world and everybody’s health, prosperity and wellbeing are underpinned by a complex and interconnected system of energy systems – everything from generation and transmission to distribution and consumption, across different sectors and geographies. To decarbonize this system, we need more than just adding more renewable sources of energy. We need to rethink and reimagine how energy is produced, delivered and used, in every possible way.

Scaling up success

To achieve this requires a high level of innovation and creativity. Most importantly, though, it needs collaboration and partnerships. Time is short. That’s why we have to cut through both bureaucracy and corporate vanities and be ready to work together, experiment with new solutions, learn from failures and scale up successes.

Take renewable and low-carbon power generation, which will be at the heart of the net zero economy. Seven countries – Albania, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iceland, Nepal Paraguay and Democratic Republic of Congo – are already powered 100 percent by clean renewable energy; they are not industrial giants, and some of them are very small, but it shows what can be done. Already, we see the rapid rollout of new high-yield renewable energy sources around the world – from solar arrays to offshore wind farms. Take Germany, where during recent summer days solar farms generated more than 60? percent of the country’s electricity.?

There is no central planning for net zero

But decarbonization has to happen at every level of the economy, and that cannot be centrally planned. The ideas and the innovation have to come from every level of today’s carbon economy.

Let me give you just a couple of examples: The mining industry is one of the most energy-intensive and emissions-intensive sectors in the world, responsible for up to 7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. But mining is also essential for providing us with all the raw materials we need in our daily lives – from iron and copper to lithium and cobalt (which are also vital to make the energy transition happen). Haulage of materials in a mine is one of the key causes of emissions. That’s why ABB is partnering with Komatsu, a leading manufacturer of mining equipment, to develop an open platform for electrification of mining operations. Together we want to create an electrical infrastructure that covers electric vehicles, material loading and unloading points, charging stations, battery chargers, batteries, renewable energy sources and grid connections, as well as advanced automation and digitalization, to create a more efficient, safe and sustainable mining ecosystem. Once again, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Every mine needs a tailored mix of electrification technologies; that’s why ABB has developed a simulation tool for planning plan haulage infrastructure that is optimized for the operational constraints of each mine.

Let’s accelerate

Our world needs this kind of out-of-the-box thinking to make the energy transition work – from power generation to industry, transport, buildings and more. ABB’s Energy Transition Hub will give you a taster for what’s possible. To decarbonize the global economy, however, we need many more solutions – some regional or even global, but most of them local, tailored to individual circumstances and needs.

Nobody has to work in isolation. And no solution will work in isolation. Wherever I travel, whoever I speak to, I see commitment, motivation and a desire to make a positive impact on the planet and society. So let’s accelerate the energy transition - together.