Summer in most parts of the northern hemisphere is a typical peak period of power consumption, and the global power grid is about to face the biggest test in decades. Scientists predict that the United States will face hot weather in the coming months. As households and businesses start refrigeration equipment such as air conditioners, power consumption will surge. Earlier this month, six power plants in Texas shut down as the summer heat approached. From California to the Great Lakes, at least a dozen states in the United States are at risk of power outages this summer.
The heat wave in Asia will lead to power cuts in some areas for hours a day, putting more than 1 billion people in Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India at risk and showing little sign of relief. South Africa is about to usher in a record year of power outages.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine triggered the European natural gas crisis, and European countries are trying to import large quantities of liquefied natural gas, including Spain, France and the UK. Germany and Italy have allowed enterprises to open ruble accounts to continue to buy Russian natural gas and avoid supply interruption. Eastern European countries such as Greece, Latvia and Hungary all use natural gas for power generation and rely heavily on Russian supply. If Russia cuts off its natural gas supply to the region, it may be enough to trigger rotational blackouts in these countries.
Pressure from energy transformation
This year may be the most stressful year in the history of global electricity, but the obstacles are unlikely to disappear soon.
In recent years, due to insufficient investment in fossil fuels and strong demand growth, the market will continue to be tight in the next few years. Although the share of wind and solar energy in total capacity is expected to soar over the next decade, it will put more pressure on the grid before energy storage facilities catch up with this shift.
