The goal for the future is to eliminate the use of carbon phosphate for energy. Many issues are making scientists worried, such as the different availability in the world of sun and wind, or the demand from an area to another and the still high costs for renewable energy.
Researchers from the Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland and from the Energy Watch Group compiled a detailed global energy scenario and studied a different strategy for 145 different regions around the world. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero in a cheap way by 2050.
Christian Breyer, study coordinator and Professor for Solar Economy at LUT, says: «This energy system costs less than our current one and makes sure that global warming remains under 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit)».
Based on its findings, the most important source of energy is solar power (70 percent), followed by wind power (18 percent), biomass (5 percent) and hydropower (3 percent). To complete the data, the researchers expect an increase in energy demand against an increase of the global population to 9.7 billion.
«For each country, we can now plan how to ensure 100 percent renewables in all energy sectors and pinpoint what the best technical and economic mix would be» said Hans-Josef Fell, co-author of the study and president of Energy Watch Group.
Today, switching to renewable energy is technically possible and cheap yet, completely replacing gas and oil. Of course, the end of the draw will lead to job losses in the fossil fuel sector, but at the same time new technologies will provide new jobs.
The professor of environmental engineering at Stanford University in California, Mark Jacobson: «This new paper reaffirms this fact plus it shows it is possible to avoid 1.5 C global warming by getting to zero net greenhouse gases emissions by 2050 without negative emission technologies, fossil fuels with carbon capture, or nuclear power, yet at an affordable cost».
The energy economics expert, Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute of Economic Research, also adds that «it is impressively that a secure and cost-efficient energy supply to achieve the Paris climate targets with 100 percent renewable energy is not only technically possible, but also economically profitable».
In short, it is no longer a question of technological or economic viability, but a matter of political will.