The European Renewable Energy Council (EREC) outlines in its new report RE-thinking 2050 a pathway how the European Union can switch to a 100% renewable energy supply for electricity, heating and cooling as well as transport, examining the effects on Europe’s energy supply system and on CO2 emissions.
RE-thinking 2050, launched on April 15th in the European Parliament under the patronage of MEP Maria Da Graça Carvalho, outlines a pathway towards a 100% renewable energy system for the EU as the only sustainable option in economic, environmental and social terms.
It assesses how the different renewable energy technologies can contribute to a fully sustainable energy supply by 2050 provided there is strong political, public and economic support for all renewable energy technologies. “The potential benefits of a future based on renewable energy are multiple: mitigating climate change, ensuring energy security and creating sustainable future-oriented jobs,” points out Arthouros Zervos, President of EREC.
According to the report, renewable energy deployment by 2020 will reduce annual energy related CO2 emissions by about 1,200 Mt against 1990 emissions. By 2050 the EU would be able to reduce its energy related CO2 emissions by more than 90%. This reduction would result in an additional total CO2 benefit in 2050 of $5.078 trillion (€3.800 trillion). Zervos emphasizes that: “Higher upfront investment for renewable energy do pay off in the long-run, as the capital investment cost will be outweighed by the avoided fossil fuel and CO2 costs.”
The EU could cut its emissions by more than 90% by 2050 by moving to produce all its energy from renewable sources, according to the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), an industry group. In a report published on Thursday (14 April), it said the environmental and social benefits would outweigh the required investments.
The report provides a roadmap to 2050 for different renewable technologies, arguing that 100% renewables is both economically feasible and environmentally desirable.
EREC predicts the largest increase to take place in renewable electricity, driven by wind and photovoltaic (PV) solar, with its share of total energy demand rising from 10% in 2020 to 18% in 2030 and 41% by 2050. It also expects the renewable heating and cooling market from biomass, solar thermal and geothermal applications to take off quickly, comprising 21% of the EU’s total energy consumption in 2030 and 45% in 2050.
Transport will remain the biggest challenge for renewable energies, according to EREC. But as conversion technologies for biofuels and electric vehicles enter the market on a large scale after 2020, it expects the share of renewable transport fuels in Europe's energy consumption to increase from 3% in 2020 to 10% in 2050.
EREC stressed that the technologies required to achieve a 100% renewables scenario are already available and it is simply a matter of finding the political will to make it happen.
Studies on 2050 energy scenarios have started to proliferate as the European Commission prepares its own roadmap, scheduled to be presented in early 2011.
The report provides a roadmap to 2050 for different renewable technologies, arguing that 100% renewables is both economically feasible and environmentally desirable.
EREC predicts the largest increase to take place in renewable electricity, driven by wind and photovoltaic (PV) solar, with its share of total energy demand rising from 10% in 2020 to 18% in 2030 and 41% by 2050. It also expects the renewable heating and cooling market from biomass, solar thermal and geothermal applications to take off quickly, comprising 21% of the EU’s total energy consumption in 2030 and 45% in 2050.
Transport will remain the biggest challenge for renewable energies, according to EREC. But as conversion technologies for biofuels and electric vehicles enter the market on a large scale after 2020, it expects the share of renewable transport fuels in Europe's energy consumption to increase from 3% in 2020 to 10% in 2050.
EREC stressed that the technologies required to achieve a 100% renewables scenario are already available and it is simply a matter of finding the political will to make it happen.
Studies on 2050 energy scenarios have started to proliferate as the European Commission prepares its own roadmap, scheduled to be presented in early 2011.
As the RE-thinking 2050 report clearly outlines, achieving a 100% renewable energy fuelled economy is not a matter of availability of technologies, rather it is a matter of political will and of setting the course today for a sustainable energy future for the European Union. “A 100% renewable energy society is one where the benefits greatly outweigh the costs, be it in economic terms or in social terms, and the renewable industry is ready to prove it”, concludes the President of EREC, Arthouros Zervos.
EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council, is the umbrella organization of the major European renewable energy industry, trade and research associations active in the field of photovoltaics, small hydropower, solar thermal, bioenergy, ocean & marine, geothermal, wind energy and solar thermal electricity. It represents an industry with an annual turnover of more than €70 billion and more than 550,000 employees.
The full publication of RE-thinking 2050 became available as of April 20th 2010: www.rethinking2050.eu
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