The transition to 100% renewable energy around the world is economically competitive with the current fossil fuel and nuclear system, according to a new report by Energy Watch Group and the LUT University in Finland.
The study models a scenario to meet a 1.5 degree Celsius global warming target covering electricity, heat, transport and desalination by 2050.
Reaching 100% renewables will require electrification of all energy sectors, resulting in four to five times more electricity generation in 2050 than 2015, it said.
Renewable generation will be nearly all produced by decentralised local and regional sources.
Electricity consumption will account for 90% of all primary energy consumption by mid-century, with fossil fuels and nuclear ceasing completely in all sectors.
Solar will account for 69% of energy output, followed by wind 18%, bioenergy 6%, hydro 3%, and geothermal 2%, the report said.
It found that global greenhouse gas emissions in the energy system could be reduced to zero before 2050 falling from 30 giga tonnes in 2015.
Measures for governments to achieve these goals include promoting sector coupling, incentives for private investment, tax breaks and discontinuation of subsidies for coal and fossil fuels.
LUT University professor for solar economy Christian Breyer said: “The study’s results show that all countries can and should accelerate the current Paris Climate Agreement targets.
“A transition to 100% clean, renewable energies is highly realistic – even today, with the technologies currently available.”
Energy Watch Group is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan global network of scientists and parliamentarians.