"Stronger Together: Cross-border Interconnections to Accelerate the Energy Transition" examines how stronger power system links between countries can support security, renewable integration, and affordability.
Antalya and Zurich, Nov 12, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Electrification, AI, and energy security considerations are set to reshape the power system, as world leaders convene at COP31. A new Hitachi Energy report examines the role of cross-border electricity interconnections in the emerging energy landscape, as strategic infrastructure that can help countries share resources, enhance flexibility, and lower system costs as demand rises and renewable generation expands.
The report, Stronger Together: Cross-border Interconnections to Accelerate the Energy Transition*1, finds that interconnections can accelerate the energy transition by advancing all three dimensions of the energy trilemma simultaneously. They strengthen sustainability by connecting remote renewable sources to demand centers and displacing fossil-fuel generation, contribute to energy security through reserve sharing and emergency support, and improve affordability through access to lower-cost electricity and more efficient use of existing assets. The report also emphasizes that these benefits depend on conditions in both connected systems and on the arrangements governing cross-border trade.
*1 Stronger Together: Cross-border Interconnections to Accelerate the Energy Transition
The report emphasizes the importance of accelerating the deployment of advanced technologies, as operating parameters of power systems change with progress in the energy transition. A new generation of power electronics solutions, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies for transmission, conversion, control, and protection is an essential foundation for new interconnections that integrate increasingly distant, dispersed, and dynamic generation sources.
At the same time, significant value can be unlocked through improved utilization of existing interconnections, with solutions such as Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), dynamic line rating, and AI-enabled line management. Drawing on examples from Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, and the Gulf region, the report confirms that there is no single model for developing interconnections. Regional approaches reflect different power system needs, market structures, financing conditions, and institutions-from bilateral power projects to regional power pools and shared transmission networks.
The report recommends governments, regulators, system operators, investors, and infrastructure developers:
- Plan interconnections early and across borders.
- Make projects investable and agree on how costs and benefits will be shared.
- Establish institutions, market rules, and technical standards alongside infrastructure and accelerate permitting processes.
- Strengthen domestic transmission networks for full utilization of cross-border capacity.
- Build security and resilience into interconnector design.
"Cross-border interconnections allow countries to share power resources, reducing the need for each country to invest in capacity to meet peak demand in its own. This can strengthen resilience and security of supply, lower total system costs, and support the integration of more renewable power," said Niklas Persson, CEO, Grid Integration Business Unit at Hitachi Energy. "The technologies are available today, but unlocking their full value requires coordinated planning, investment in domestic grids, and clear arrangements for sharing costs and benefits. When these elements come together, we can bring power to people and lasting value for connected countries."
Read the report: https://digitalassets.hitachienergy.com/interconnections-report
About Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Energy is a global leader in electrification, powering the electricity era to meet the energy demands of today, and the next 25 years. As the energy arm of Hitachi Group, over three billion people depend on our pioneering, mission-critical technologies to power their daily lives. With over a century of innovation, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time: driving the evolution of the world's energy system to ensure abundant, secure, affordable, and sustainable power for today's generation and the next. With an unparalleled installed base in over 140 countries, we are the grid ecosystem partner across the utility, industry, data center, and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 56,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $20 billion USD.
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About Hitachi, Ltd.
Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT(Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi aims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital, contributing to aharmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates worldwide across four sectors - Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries - as well as a Strategic SIB Business Unit focused on new growth areas. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi creates value by combining data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2025 (ended March 31, 2026) totaled 10,586.7 billion yen, with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.
Source: Hitachi, Ltd.
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