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IRENA to lead COP31 initiative to strengthen electricity grids, drive global electrification – EnviroNews
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The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will lead the implementation of a new global initiative to strengthen electricity distribution networks and accelerate the transition to renewable energy, following its appointment as the secretariat of the Global Initiative for Resilient and Intelligent Distribution Grids (D-GRIDS) at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
The initiative, developed under the leadership of Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and IRENA, is designed to address infrastructure challenges hindering global electrification and support the implementation of the COP31 Presidency’s 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge.
The pledge, launched by the Turkish COP31 Presidency, seeks to increase electricity’s share of global final energy consumption from approximately 23 per cent currently to 35 per cent by 2035.
IRENA’s leadership of D-GRIDS places the agency at the centre of efforts to translate the electrification ambition into practical investments, modern electricity networks and improved access to clean energy, particularly in developing countries.
The initiative will focus on enabling distribution grids to accommodate growing electricity demand while improving their capacity to integrate renewable energy and support greater flexibility across power systems.
Under its mandate, IRENA will coordinate implementation, facilitate international cooperation and support countries in identifying priority grid investments, developing projects and accessing financing.
The initiative will concentrate on four interconnected areas: planning, investment mobilisation and finance; grid modernisation, regulation and system flexibility; digitalisation and climate resilience; and strengthening data, institutional capacity and international cooperation.
According to IRENA, strengthening distribution networks is essential to achieving the global electrification target, as the expansion of electricity consumption across buildings, transport and industry will require modern, reliable and adequately financed power infrastructure.
The agency’s World Energy Transitions Outlook 2026 identifies accelerated electrification as a critical component of the global energy transition, highlighting the need to expand renewable energy while reforming electricity systems to accommodate increasing demand.
IRENA estimates that global grid investment must more than double, reaching a cumulative $10 trillion by 2035, to support the scale of electrification and renewable energy integration required.
The investment requirement highlights the growing importance of distribution networks, which connect electricity supplies to households, businesses and industries and will play a critical role in accommodating electric vehicles, heating and cooling systems, industrial electrification and decentralised renewable energy.
D-GRIDS is expected to help developing countries overcome some of the financial, technical and institutional barriers to modernising these networks.
In particular, the initiative will support the identification of investment requirements, improve project preparation and facilitate access to climate and development finance for electricity distribution infrastructure.
The programme will also promote demand-side flexibility, enabling electricity consumers and distribution systems to respond more effectively to fluctuations in supply and demand, thereby improving grid reliability and facilitating the integration of variable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind.
IRENA’s involvement builds on its broader work to accelerate renewable energy deployment and support governments in developing policies and investment frameworks for the energy transition.
The agency will also work with other international initiatives, including the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (UNEZA), a global coalition of utilities and power companies working to accelerate clean electricity grids, renewable energy integration and electrification.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen partnerships between governments, utilities, investors and other stakeholders involved in expanding and modernising electricity infrastructure.
The D-GRIDS initiative forms part of a wider COP31 effort to make electrification a central driver of climate action, energy security and sustainable development.
The 35-by-35 pledge is based on the recognition that increasing electricity consumption alone will not deliver the desired climate benefits unless it is accompanied by accelerated renewable energy deployment, improved energy efficiency, storage systems and modern electricity networks.
Through its World Energy Transitions Outlook 2026, IRENA has emphasised the importance of expanding electrification across buildings, transport and industry while ensuring that additional electricity demand is increasingly met through renewable sources.
The COP31 Presidency has consequently identified grid infrastructure as a critical pillar of its electrification agenda, with D-GRIDS expected to provide a framework for translating the ambition into practical projects and investments.
By leading the initiative and serving as its secretariat, IRENA is expected to play a coordinating role in mobilising international expertise, strengthening institutional capacity and connecting countries with the technical and financial support required to build resilient and intelligent electricity distribution systems.
The success of the initiative will be particularly important for developing economies, where inadequate electricity infrastructure, limited investment and financing constraints continue to impede efforts to expand reliable electricity access and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy systems.
