The G7 group of leading western economies has pledged to boost its installed solar capacity to more than one terawatt by 2030, and to build 150 gigawatts of offshore wind, but has fallen short on tighter coal and gas targets.
The commitment came from the G7 meeting in Sapporo, which brought together the climate, energy and environment ministers from the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, Italy along with the EU.
The pledge to boost its collective offshore wind capacity by 150GW represents a six fold increase in annual installations, and the 1GW solar target translates into a three-fold increase in annual installations, but the G7 rejected a push by Canada and others to impose a phase-out of unabated coal by 2030.
It also noted that increased investment in gas could be justified – contrary to the urgings of the International Enegy Agency – choosing instead to aim for a “mostly decarbonised” grid by 2035 and to end new unabated coal fired power stations “as soon as possible.”
The ministerial communique renewed its commitment to “net zero” emissions by 2050 at the latest, and Japan reportedly had to be pushed to agree to even that date. The G7 was accused by environmental groups for missing an opportunity and failing the 1.5°C climate target.
“While G7 ministers recognised the need to scale up renewable energy, their commitment to phase-out of fossil fuels is frivolous and full of loopholes,” said Harjeet Singh, the head of global political strategy at  Climate Action Network International.
“The calls from scientists and activists to urgently phase out of fossil fuels and support a just and green transition in developing countries, seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.”
The group said the G7 had an opportunity to show real leadership, but its efforts largely ignored other forms of renewables – such as onshore wind and geothermal, and its endorsement of new gas installations “crossed the redline of the Paris climate goals.
The G7 was presented with a new analysis from the IEA highlighting the short duration and season storage and flexibility needs of grid that operate on at least 70 per cent variable renewable energy (wind and solar).
Currently, only Denmark has a share of more than 50 per cent wind and solar (almost entirely wind), with Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK the others to integrate more than 25 per cent.
The study is focused on 2021, which had Australia at just under 20 per cent, and this has since jumped closer to 25 per cent, with South Australia leading the way with more than 70 per cent over the last 12 months.
The IEA study looks at various climatic regions – Temperate, Continental, tropical and Arid – and finds that in tropical and arid systems – with high levels of solar such as Australia – batteries provide around 40 per cent of the total annual short-duration flexibility requirements.
In the temperate and continental systems, demand-side measures – such as smart charging of electric vehicles and industrial demand response – provide 30 per cent to 35 per cent of these short-duration flexibility needs.
The IEA report suggests that existing thermal capacity, including hydro and gas, will be needed to support seasonal fluctuations
