World's leading power system operators launch global consortium

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) has joined forces with power system operators from around the world to launch a consortium aiming to overcome some of the key challenges associated with the clean energy transition.

Today during the BloombergNEF Summit, Audrey Zibelman, CEO of the Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO) – one of the founding members alongside the ESO – announced the launch of the Global Power System Transformation Consortium (G-PST), highlighting the need for a major global collaborative effort in overcoming technical barriers related to the integration of clean energy into power systems at an unprecedented scope and scale. 

The goal of the consortium is to dramatically accelerate the transition to low emission and low cost, secure, and reliable power systems, contributing to >50% emission reductions of all pollutants globally over the next 10 years by enabling the efficient integration of substantial clean energy investments into power systems.

We’ll scale up global research collaboration on cutting-edge technical innovations, and they will be shared rapidly with countries around the world.

CEOs of six of the world’s leading system operators, National Grid ESO, Australia Energy Market Operator (AEMO), California Independent System Operator (CAISO), Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), Ireland’s System Operator (EirGrid), and Denmark’s System Operator (Energinet) are leading the consortium. 

These founding system operators are partnering with more than 25 prominent system operators from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and other regions as well as renowned research and educational institutions from around the world to help guide the G-PST vision.

The system operators from emerging and developing countries will engage in technical collaboration, peer learning, and workforce development to support the application of advanced engineering and operational solutions to meet their priorities.

“Countries around the world are looking to pursue a path to modern, low-emissions energy systems, but face significant challenges in acquiring and applying the technical knowledge needed to operate and plan rapidly transforming power systems,” said Zibelman.

“This consortium will help meet this need by engaging key power system operators, applied research and educational institutions, governments, businesses, and stakeholders from developed and developing countries to accelerate clean energy transitions at the ambitious scope and scale that is required.”

Fintan Slye, director of National Grid ESO, said:

“We’re excited to join fellow system operators in leading the consortium’s research agenda that is holistic and driven by making it all work together.

“Through the consortium, we’ll scale up global research collaboration on cutting-edge technical innovations in areas such as real-time intelligent control applications and state-of-the-art power electronics that will enhance the reliability and accelerate our transitions to best-in-class, low emission reliable power systems. These pioneering innovations will be shared rapidly with countries around the world.”

Key sponsors and partners of the G-PST Consortium include Wellspring Climate Initiative, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Germany) and Energy Innovation.

To find out more about the consortium, view the G-PST fact sheet or visit the G-PST website.