The promises and pitfalls of India’s plan for a global grid

(Eco Business, 12 Nov 2021) Last week at COP26 in Glasgow, the Green Grids Initiative-One Sun One World One Grid project was launched by India in partnership with the UK. Will this be the start of a global system to trade clean energy across borders?

In one hour, enough energy reaches the Earth from the sun to meet humanity’s energy needs for an entire year. To date, we have made use of a fraction of the “untapped potential” of this enormous source of renewable energy. But an ambitious project, spearheaded by India and launched last week at the UN climate summit COP26, seeks to redress this.

The Green Grids Initiative-One Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) is an international initiative to create an interconnected global power grid. It imagines renewable energy from solar, wind and water flowing “across continents, countries and communities” from where it is abundant to where it is needed. 

OSOWOG was first announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. In May 2021 a partnership was revealed with the UK’s Green Grids Initiative, a coalition to accelerate the deployment of solar infrastructure around the world. The project was formally launched at COP26 on 2 November.

External link

Eco Business, 12 Nov 2021: The promises and pitfalls of India’s plan for a global grid