Climate Change: Transition to 100% Renewable Energy is Economically Competitive - Report

New Study: Global Energy System based on 100% Renewable Energy (Energy Watch Group)

Primary energy supply in the 100% renewable energy system
will include about 52,000 MW geothermal energy (2%) by 2050.

The new study by the Energy Watch Group and LUT University is the first of its kind to outline a 1.5°C scenario with a cost-effective, cross-sectoral, technology-rich global 100% renewable energy system that does not build on negative CO2 emission technologies. The scientific modelling study simulates a total global energy transition in the electricity, heat, transport and desalination sectors by 2050. It is based on four and a half years of research and analysis of data collection, as well as technical and financial modelling by 14 scientists. This proves that the transition to 100% renewable energy is economically competitive with the current fossil and nuclear-based system, and could reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the energy system to zero even before 2050.

Primary energy supply in the 100% renewable energy system will be covered by a mix of sources, with solar PV generating 69%, followed by wind energy (18%), biomass and waste (6%), hydro (3%) and geothermal energy (2% - about 52 GW) by 2050. Wind energy and solar PV make up 96% of total electricity, and approximately 88% of the total energy supply, which will have a synergetic balancing effect.

The total installed power generation capacity increases from nearly 300 GW in 2015 to around 2,600 GW by 2050. Across the power sector, solar PV with around 1.260 GW and wind with around 650 GW constitute the majority of installed capacities by 2050. Additionally, some shares of hydropower, geothermal and non-fossil gas based electricity contribute through the transition.

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