Reducing cost and risk of transmission and distribution of electricity from offshore wind

As turbine costs drop in the SDS, interconnection and balance-of-system take up a higher share of overall installation costs. Learning on design concepts as well as fundamental technology improvements to power engineering equipment will be necessary.

Hydropower

While hydropower is a mature power generation technology, with high energy payback ratio and conversion efficiency, there are still many areas where small but important improvements in technological development are needed. Work is underway to identify and apply new technologies, systems, approaches and innovations, including experience from other industries, that have the potential to make hydropower development more reliable, efficient, valuable and safe. Improvements along the lines of those made in the last 30 to 50 years will also need to continue, though with smaller incremental benefits: mainly in physical size, hydraulic efficiency and environmental performance.

Innovative hydropower designs

Dams have a high social and environmental cost, heavily disrupting ecosystems and populations where they are developed. Alternatives that do not require damming or resettlement of populations would help reach SDS levels.

Reducing the cost and impact of civil works

The cost of civil works associated with new hydropower project construction can be up to 70% of total project costs, and their social and environmental impacts can be considerable, so improved methods, technologies and materials for planning, design and construction have considerable potential.