  This paper puts forward the vision that a natural future stage of the
electricity network could be a grid spanning the whole planet and connecting
most of the large power plants in the world: this is the "Global Grid". The
main driving force behind the Global Grid will be the harvesting of remote
renewable sources, and its key infrastructure element will be the high capacity
long transmission lines. Wind farms and solar power plants will supply load
centers with green power over long distances.
  This paper focuses on the introduction of the concept, showing that a
globally interconnected network can be technologically feasible and
economically competitive. We further highlight the multiple opportunities
emerging from a global electricity network such as smoothing the renewable
energy supply and electricity demand, reducing the need for bulk storage, and
reducing the volatility of the energy prices. We also discuss possible
investment mechanisms and operating schemes. Among others, we envision in such
a system a global power market and the establishment of two new coordinating
bodies, the "Global Regulator" and the "Global System Operator".
