Electrification has moved to the centre of the global energy agenda, driven by the global energy crisis, the Electrify Now campaign and the COP31 Presidency’s proposed “35 by 35” electrification target. Delivering on this ambition, however, requires electricity grids that are ready to connect, transmit and integrate renewable power at scale.
More than 2,500 GW of renewable energy, storage and large-load projects are stalled in grid connection queues worldwide (IEA, 2026), highlighting the growing mismatch between the pace of clean energy deployment and the development of the infrastructure needed to support it. The private sector has a critical role to play in mobilising investment, accelerating deployment and driving the maintenance,
expansion and modernisation of grid infrastructure to ensure networks are fit for a secure, renewables-based energy future.

Building on international commitments on electrification, energy storage and grid modernisation, this session will examine the private sector’s perspective on the progress made to date and, crucially, what needs to happen next to ensure grids become an enabler, rather than a bottleneck, of the energy transition.
The session will convene renewable energy industry leaders to identify the priority actions needed over the next 12–24 months to mobilise investment, accelerate the
deployment of fit-for-purpose grid infrastructure, modernise, optimise and strengthen system flexibility and resilience, and unlock the renewable capacity needed to deliver renewable powered electrification.