“We Don’t Have to Wait 10 Years for Change”
Sonja Berlijn will be speaking at the 2025 Energy Conference in Glava about the future of the electricity grid — and why the solutions to take major steps toward a fossil-free future already exist today. Sonja is Director at Norwegian DNV, Professor of Secure Power Systems at the University of Oslo, and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.
You argue that the technical solutions for a sustainable energy system already exist. What’s holding us back?
– Yes! All the solutions are already here — but we need courage. Courage to test technical and IT solutions in real operations, to scale up what works, and to adapt the market and regulations to make room for development. There are no shortcuts in the electricity system — everything is interconnected, and every change requires a trade-off between cost, security, reliability, and climate impact.
What’s the most urgent issue right now?
– Getting everyone who wants to connect to the grid onboard. Right now, we have a kind of ‘grid-lock’ — the need to connect new production and new users is growing faster than we can expand the grid. We need to make our electricity grids more robust and resilient — both physically and against cyberattacks — while also using smarter solutions to maximize the capacity we already have.
– One example is that we can actually increase the capacity of today’s grid by 20 percent — without building anything new. It’s about modernizing our control centers and using time and resources more efficiently.
What needs to happen to make that a reality?
– We need the courage to test technical and digital solutions in real-life operation. It’s also about scaling up what already works, and in some cases, adjusting regulations and market models to make room for innovation.
You often say that electrification will be the most cost-effective path forward. How so?
– Everything that can be electrified will be electrified — not just for the sake of the climate, but because it’s the most cost-effective solution. We will need more electricity — not only to replace fossil fuels but also because overall demand is increasing. Forecasts show an increase of two to seven times, depending on the country.
If you were to pitch yourself as a speaker — why should people come and listen to you in Glava on June 3?
– Because I want to show that we don’t have to wait 10–15 years for change. We can act now — and do so in a way that’s smart, safe, and sustainable. A lot can already be done — if we dare!
Caption: Sonja Berlijn, Director at Norwegian DNV, Professor of Secure Power Systems at the University of Oslo, and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Photo: DNV
Energy Conference 2025 – June 3, 2025
Sonja Berlijn is one of several powerful voices speaking at Glava Energy Center’s Energy Conference on June 3, 2025. Want to join us to listen, be challenged, and get inspired? Also participating are organizations such as Fornybar Norge, Sveriges Energigemenskaper, Endre, Energiforsk, and CheckWatt. Read more about the conference and register via our calendar.