ADRIAN GONZALEZ
Programme Officer- Innovation and End-use Sectors, IRENA International Renewable Energy Agency
Innovation for Smart Electrification
Abstract
According to IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario, the share of direct electricity in total final energy consumption must increase from 22% in 2020 to 29% by 2030, and to 51% by 2050. This can be achieved with tremendous growth in electric-powered technologies, many of which are already available. With direct and indirect electrification, global electricity demand would triple by 2050, compared with 2020.
Smart electrification is a cost-effective and innovation-based decarbonisation pathway for energy systems. It enables power systems to accommodate new loads in a cost-efficient manner and creates flexibility in power systems, which allows the integration of a larger share of renewables, while keeping them robust and resilient.
The keynote will present IRENA’s systemic innovation approach, and a collection of multi-field innovations identified for addressing the three pillars of smart electrification: power to mobility, power to heat and power to hydrogen.
Biography
Adrian Gonzalez is an electrical engineer, holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering and a specialist’s degree in power systems. He also holds an Executive MBA on international energy sector and has diverse studies on big data, business analytics, electricity markets and its regulations.
He has worked 10 years in the electricity transmission area, firstly in the Spanish TSO, REE, and later for the European Network of the Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), and several years as innovation and renewable energy consultant by founding Inaltaria SL.
Adrian works within the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, as Programme Officer on Innovation and End-use sectors, where he contributes to promote accelerated deployment of renewable energy through systemic innovation.