Electricity is powering a global transformation. From rapid urbanisation and industrial expansion to electric vehicles lining our roads and the rise of AI-driven data centres, the demand for clean, reliable power is surging – and with it, the urgency to accelerate the energy transition. Yet, while renewable energy deployment is scaling at an unprecedented pace, driven in large part by cost advantages, one critical component remains significantly underdeveloped: our electricity grids.
The energy transition is no longer constrained by our ability to generate enough clean power. The challenge now lies in delivering it to where it is needed swiftly, reliably and at scale.
Global electricity consumption grew by nearly 1,100 terawatt hours in 2024 alone – more than triple the UK's annual consumption. This increase is not confined to fast-growing economies; even mature markets are seeing spikes in demand due to factors such as industrial electrification, electric vehicles and data-driven industries like AI.
However, the grid infrastructure that underpins this revolution is struggling to keep pace. More than 1,650 gigawatts of wind and solar projects in advanced stages of development are waiting for grid connections – this is equivalent to about six times Germany’s total installed power capacity. Ageing infrastructure, extended permitting timelines and equipment bottlenecks are holding back progress.
The result is that clean energy capacity is growing rapidly but the required expansion and modernisation of critical grid infrastructure to deliver this clean power reliably is falling behind. This gridlock is not a future threat – it is a current and very real risk. Last month, a power failure across Portugal, Spain and parts of France demonstrated how even well-established systems are vulnerable.
What is required is a fundamental reimagining of our grids. Beyond just expanding capacity, we need to develop intelligent, dynamic systems that can respond in real time to supply and demand fluctuations.
AI, while adding to electricity demand, can also be part of the solution. It can balance loads, predict surges and identify faults in the grid before they escalate into outages.
But none of this can happen without an enabling policy environment.
The result is that clean energy capacity is growing rapidly but the required expansion and modernisation of critical grid infrastructure to deliver this clean power reliably is falling behind
The most pressing challenge is not technical – it is regulatory. Technologies are proven and capital is available. What investors and energy developers require is clarity, speed and confidence. It is imperative that planning rules, permitting procedures and regulatory environments are modernised and energy companies are incentivised to proceed with critical grid projects.
Enabling this transformation requires close co-ordination between regulators, utilities, investors and technology providers – a key priority of the World Utilities Congress being held in Abu Dhabi until May 29. Global grid investment needs to reach an estimated $717 billion annually between now and 2030. For capital to flow where it is most needed, governments must provide a stable, predictable regulatory environment that rewards long-term investment in infrastructure.
This is where collaboration plays a pivotal role. Initiatives like the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (Uneza), a global coalition of more than 55 utilities and partners, are helping accelerate this effort. By uniting utilities across markets, Uneza aims to overcome shared grid challenges, align investments and scale impact. With more than $117 billion in annual energy transition commitments, the alliance represents a powerful force for change.
This spirit of collaboration must also extend to supply chain resilience. Supply chains must be diversified and de-risked to avoid delays in critical grid components such as transformers, conductors and control systems. Governments and industry must work together to streamline procurement processes, promote domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on single-source suppliers.
Equally important is the role of public engagement. As utilities push ahead with grid expansion projects, community support will become increasingly important. Building public trust through transparency, inclusion and a clear articulation of benefits – such as job creation, improved reliability and reduced emissions – will be essential to securing social licence and accelerating delivery timelines.
The age of electrification is here. But without bold action on grids, the energy transition will stall. Now is the time to act with conviction, with capital and with clear policy leadership. The net-zero future is still within reach. Let’s build the infrastructure to deliver it.
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'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
