Modernizing and expanding the power grid for tomorrow's energy

Grids are the hidden champions of the energy transition – but without expansion and upgrades, they risk becoming a bottleneck. 

Unlocking the full potential of renewable energy, ensuring grid reliability, and accelerating the global energy transition require modernizing and expanding power grids worldwide. Siemens Energy delivers solutions that connect energy sources to where they’re needed, support the energy transition, and ensure resilient, future-ready infrastructure worldwide.

Leading utilities share how modernizing power grids enables the clean energy future.

Much of today's power grid infrastructure was built decades ago for a one-way electricity flow from centralized coal and nuclear plants to consumers. Today, grids must be far smarter and more flexible: they need to handle two-way electricity flows, integrate variable output from solar and wind farms, and connect millions of decentralized resources like rooftop solar panels or local biomass plants. Without urgent modernization and expansion, millions of megawatts of renewable projects remain stuck in connection queues — stalling the energy transition. 

By 2040, more than 80 million kilometers of electrical grid will need to be added or upgraded globally – about the length of rebuilding the entire current grid. And right now, over 3,000 gigawatts of renewable projects are waiting for grid connections, signaling that grid investments lag far behind renewable installations. Currently, only about 60 cents is spent on grid and storage for every U.S. dollar invested in renewables, yet the International Energy Agency (IEA) states a 1:1 investment ratio is essential.  

Grid modernization is no longer optional – it’s central to meeting climate goals. 

The urgent need for grid modernization and expansion is driven by the rapid growth of renewable energy, increasing electricity demand from electrification and digital infrastructure, and the risks posed by aging grid infrastructure that limits reliability and renewable integration.

Global climate targets depend on scaling renewables fast, but new wind and solar projects must connect to grids strong enough to handle their variable supply across long distances. For example, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) calls for tripling renewable capacity by 2030, which current grids cannot support without major upgrades. Stronger, more flexible grids enable continuous renewable power delivery, vital to ongoing decarbonization. 

Electrification of industries, homes, and transportation – and the surge of digital infrastructure like data centers – are driving demand well beyond existing grid capacity. Data center electricity consumption alone could surpass 1,000 terawatt-hours globally by 2026, more than Japan’s current usage. Integration requires smarter networks, demand management, and digital grids to keep supply reliable and affordable while supporting growth.  

Much of the global grid is past its design life: In Europe, nearly 40 percent of transmission lines are over 40 years old; in the U.S., many are 25 to 50 years old or more. Aging assets increase outage risks, maintenance costs, and bottlenecks that limit renewable integration and cause reliability concerns. Annual grid spending is rising but still trails renewable deployment, making accelerated upgrades critical to energy security and system resilience.  

Meeting tomorrow’s energy needs depends on robust infrastructure, sustainable technologies, and advanced digital solutions that can handle increasing complexity.

Taken together, these approaches point to four strategies that guide grid modernization worldwide:

• Grid connection: Grid connectivity solutions empower reliable, efficient, and sustainable integration of energy systems into the power grid.
• Grid digitalization: Leveraging AI, automation, and intelligent control systems to manage complexity, balance energy flows, and improve grid visibility and responsiveness. 
• Grid resilience: Strengthening and renewing aging infrastructure, including equipment that relies on F-gases, and using digital technology to reduce outages and cyber risks.
• Grid decarbonization: Supporting high shares of renewables and sustainable grid technologies. 

It’s not only about building more lines, modernizing and expanding the power grid is also about building smarter. Demand management can reduce peak loads and the need for costly new infrastructure, as seen in large-scale demand-response programs in the U.S. and Europe. Digitalization and AI tools are helping grid operators forecast demand, predict outages, and extend asset life through digital twins. And new cross-border interconnections, such as the Viking Link between Denmark and the UK, enable countries to share renewable power and strengthen resilience.

Meeting global climate and energy goals hinges on investing at least one dollar in grids and storage for every dollar in renewables. The most cost-effective pathway is timely, coordinated grid modernization combining advanced hardware, digital innovation, and sustainable practices. Strategic partnerships, long-term planning, and shared investments will enable a resilient, clean, and future-proof electricity system.

Grid modernization requires massive transformer and equipment production – key components like transformers step down voltage for safe delivery. In the U.S., 90 percent of power flows through large transformers. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates that the number of large transformers may need to increase by as much as 260 percent by 2050 to meet rising demand and the build-out of renewable energy. Yet today, about 80 percent of U.S. transformers are imported, with delivery times stretching up to five years.

To close this gap, Siemens Energy is expanding its manufacturing and service operations of large power transformers in Charlotte, North Carolina – an investment creating nearly 600 direct jobs and 300 construction jobs. Similar expansions are underway across its Grid Technologies factories worldwide. The challenge is that key materials like copper, aluminum, and steel are still heavily imported, leaving costs vulnerable to tariffs and supply chain pressures. With government support to strengthen local supply chains, local manufacturing can accelerate grid modernization while boosting sustainability, resilience, and energy security.

For a complete overview, see our power transmission and industry portfolio.