A sweeping international commitment to modernise power systems has gained major traction as over 65 countries and 100 organisations formally endorse the COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge. The growing coalition is responding with urgency following a recent large-scale power outage in Spain and Portugal, which exposed the vulnerabilities in current grid infrastructure.
The pledge, launched under the COP29 Presidency, positions energy storage and electricity grids at the forefront of global climate action for the first time. Participating nations — including Brazil, Kenya, the United States, India, France, Nigeria, Vietnam, and others — are uniting around three ambitious targets to be met by 2030:
- Deploy 1,500 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage
- Build or modernise 25 million kilometres of power grids
- Double global investment in electricity grid infrastructure
These efforts are designed to bolster energy resilience, integrate variable renewable energy, and support system flexibility, especially in light of mounting climate and geopolitical pressures on global energy systems.
The European blackout has become a stark reminder of what’s at stake, prompting calls for immediate infrastructure upgrades. Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance, described the pledge as a pivotal step forward.
“The recent power disruption in Europe has shown what’s at stake — it should serve as an urgent wake-up call for increased investment in grids and storage,” Douglas said. “This pledge is a breakthrough moment — a signal that the world is serious about building the backbone of a renewables-based energy system.”
Douglas emphasized, however, that setting targets is not enough. He urged governments to implement regulatory reforms, scale long-duration energy storage (LDES), and unlock both public and private sector investments.
The Global Renewables Alliance is further advocating for a global commitment of at least 1 terawatt (TW) of LDES by 2030. This goal is particularly crucial for emerging markets and island nations, where energy system flexibility is essential.
To accelerate deployment, the Alliance is calling for enabling policies and regulatory frameworks that de-risk projects and attract capital — key measures to making these climate resilience ambitions a reality.
