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Utilities for Net Zero Alliance Unveils 2025 Action Plan for Renewable Energy Growth
The Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA) has outlined its strategic action plan for 2025, aimed at enhancing grid resilience and expanding clean energy sources.
Members of UNEZA and its partners are committed to a substantial increase in renewable energy capacity, targeting a threefold expansion by 2030. They have pledged to monitor their collective progress annually.
Recent indicators show that commitments have exceeded $57 billion annually for grid development and over $60 billion for renewable energy, with a collective goal of achieving an installed renewable capacity of 850 GW by 2030. This figure represents a significant increase from the current capacity of 329 GW in 2023.
The verified priorities laid out in the 2025 action plan are anchored on the ongoing progress, particularly emphasizing the development of grid infrastructure.
Members have identified four critical challenges: the slow pace of current efforts, insufficient focus on long-term grid development, the intricacy of regulatory processes that cause delays, and the urgency brought about by numerous renewable projects that are pending grid connections, which can significantly affect ecosystem dynamics, especially in supporting electrification.
In terms of priority initiatives, UNEZA members have concluded that facilitating policy and regulatory frameworks and mobilizing financial resources are the foremost priorities. Efforts to mitigate supply chain risks are secondary, while enhancing capabilities and workforce development rank as the least urgent tasks.
To improve the policy and regulatory landscape, strategies will focus on alleviating traffic bottlenecks and simplifying approval processes. This includes engaging actively with regulators, expediting crucial grid infrastructure projects, and contributing grid expertise to an international progress report.
In efforts to mobilize financial investments for infrastructure projects, UNEZA proposes collaboration with commercial and development banking institutions to refine lending standards for grid investments, issuing a joint appeal to heads of development banks about scaling up grid-related funding, and encouraging private banks to bolster their contributions as well.
Additionally, to alleviate supply chain challenges in grid construction, UNEZA plans to advocate for internationally harmonized standards, initiate a global supply chain strategy, and develop a plan for improved standardization across projects.
Members also intend to spearhead impactful initiatives in the Global South and create a communication working group to boost visibility on their key objectives and necessary enablers, employing targeted outreach and strategic engagement with stakeholders.
Over the past year, the Alliance has nearly doubled its membership, now encompassing more than 50 utility companies and associated entities.
Originally published in Smart Energy International.
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