Renewables based electrification of Europe’s buildings, industrial processes and transport could cut the region’s carbon dioxide emissions by 90% by 2050, according to a new report by WindEurope.
The ‘Breaking New Ground’ report said this would raise the electrification of energy in Europe to 62% in 2050 from 24% currently.
The report, released today at the Global Wind Summit in Hamburg, said 62% electrification is both realistic and affordable. It would increase total energy expenditure to 2.7% of Europe’s GDP, half a percentage point more than application of currently envisaged policies.
Such a move would also cut climate mitigation costs, which are estimated to be 1.2% of GDP with existing policies. Ambitious electrification would see costs drop to 0.86%, the report said.
Industrial processes could be powered by up to 86% electricity by 2050 enabling emissions reductions of 88%. Buildings could be powered by 64% electricity by that year, reducing emissions by 70%.
The majority of the 62% of electricity would come from renewables, with wind energy, due to cost-competitiveness and scalability, potentially covering 36% of Europe’s power generation by 2050. This would represent a build-out rate of 20GW a year from 2030 to 2050, WindEurope said.
Europe will also need to build longer and stronger electricity grids to improve the flexibility of its power system with more investment needed in technologies including energy storage, power-to-gas and demand response.
WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson said: “The EU needs to agree on a ‘zero net carbon’ target for 2050. We need to increase investment in grid infrastructure and electric vehicle charging points. And we need to support the development of electrolysers, which are key to indirect electrification with hydrogen.
“Countries should spell out how they will do all of this as part of their National Energy and Climate Plans for 2030, especially for industrial processes and buildings. All of this can put Europe on track to meet its contribution to the Paris goal of keeping global temperature rises to less than two degrees.”