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Multiple energy‐related crises require a fast transition towards a sustainable energy system. The European Green Deal aims for zero CO2 emission by 2050, while accelerating climate change impacts obligate a faster phase‐out of fossil fuels. Energy transition studies for Europe at and near 100% renewable energy are used as a benchmark for two newly introduced scenarios for Europe reaching zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and 2040. A technology‐rich energy system model was applied in hourly resolution for Europe in 20 interconnected regions and in full sector coupling covering all energy demands. The results reveal a cost‐neutral energy transition towards 2050 based on declining levelised cost of electricity and a pathway with 9% higher energy costs leading to 17% lower total CO2 emissions with an accelerated energy transition by 2040. The two scenarios find shares of solar photovoltaic (PV) in total generation of 61%–63% by 2050, the highest ever estimated for Europe, still below the highest global average shares ranging between 75% and 77% form three independent studies. The central energy system components are solar PV, wind power, batteries, electrolysers and CO2 direct air capture for carbon capture and utilisation. The core characteristic of the European energy future may be best described by a power‐to‐X economy, which may evolve on the global scale to a solar‐to‐X economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The British Isles, consisting of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, were investigated for a sustainable energy system transition towards 100% renewable energy in 2050. Under given framework conditions, three pathways comprising the entire energy system were investigated in 5‐year time steps and hourly resolution applying an advanced energy system modelling tool and identifying the lowest cost solutions. The British Isles were structured into 10 sub‐national regions. Special attention was paid to the high offshore wind potential of the British Isles, as well as the limited societal acceptance for onshore wind in the United Kingdom. The results indicate that a transition to 100% renewable energy is economically more attractive than the governmental strategy that involves nuclear power and fossil carbon capture and storage. The total annualised system costs can decrease to 63 b€ and a levelised cost of electricity of 40 €/MWh if onshore wind and solar photovoltaics are allowed to be built to a higher extend. High levels of electrification and sector coupling are the main reasons for decreasing primary energy demand. The multiple risks of nuclear technology can be avoided if dedicated action towards 100% renewable energy is taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition based on variable renewable energy sources raises concerns on satisfying the electricity demand at all hours of a year, which is amplified by the ongoing energy system electrification. Balancing variable electricity supply and inelastic demand requires additional sources of flexibility in the system: flexible electricity generation, energy storage, grids, flexible demand, and overall sector coupling. Electrification of transport increases the electricity demand; however, it offers the opportunity to use additional low-cost flexibility from electric vehicles batteries. The LUT Energy System Transition Model was modified to model the smart charging and vehicle-to-grid functionality of electric vehicles in integrated energy systems. The results show that, in countries with a large fleet of electric vehicles, smart charging and vehicle-to-grid allow for a substantial reduction of energy storage requirements, reducing the electricity and heat storage capacity by 35% and 25%, respectively and leading to 4% lower system cost. Flexible operation of electrolysers required for e-fuels synthesis have a similar effect and, in combination with smart charging and vehicle-to-grid, can lead to 8% lower system cost. The impact of vehicle-to-grid naturally depends on assigned operational cost; however, it contributes to system cost reduction even at high costs of 50 or 100 €/MWh. • Co-use of EV batteries reduces stationary battery storage capacity by 50 %. • If combined with flexible electrolysers stationary battery capacity reduces by 76 %. • Flexible electrolysers impact comparable to supplier-managed charging and V2G. • Additional flexibility options can lead to higher grids utilisation. • System cost reduces by 8 % if EV-related and electrolyser flexibilities are active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paris Agreement sets a clear target for net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the mid‐21st century. This implies that the transport sector has to reach zero GHG emissions mainly through direct and indirect electrification in the form of synthetic fuels, such as hydrogen and Fischer‐Tropsch (FT) fuels. The results of this research document that this very ambitious target is possible. This research analyses the global solar photovoltaics (PV) demand for achieving the Paris targets in the transport sector by the year 2050. The methodology is composed of the derivation of the transportation demand converted into final energy demand for direct electrification, hydrogen, methane, and FT‐fuels production. The power‐to‐gas (H2, CH4) and power‐to‐liquids (FT fuels) value chains are applied for the total electricity demand, which will be mostly fulfilled by PV, taking into account previous results concerning the renewable electricity share of the energy transition in the power sector for the world structured in 145 regions and results aggregated to nine major regions. The results show a continuous demand increase for all transportation modes till 2050. The total global PV capacity demand by 2050 for the transport sector is estimated to be about 19.1 TWp, thereof 35%, 25%, 7%, and 33% for direct electrification, hydrogen, synthetic natural gas, and FT fuels, respectively. PV will be the key enabler of a full defossilisation of the transport sector with a demand comparable with the power sector but a slightly later growth dynamic, leading to a combined annual PV capacity demand of about 1.8 TWp around 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Curtailment-storage-penetration nexus is shown with detailed techno-economic data. • An optimal curtailment is part of the least cost balancing options. • Curtailment, storage and penetration simultaneously increase during the transition. • Techno-economic feasibility of specific storage options depends on the observed nexus. • The observed nexus defines when to deploy and dispatch a particular storage option. Abstract The nexus between growing shares of renewables (penetration), storage requirements, and curtailment was studied using a linear optimisation model. The study was performed using a dataset of Israel's electricity system. Five scenarios are designed to assess the techno-economic impact of curtailment under various policy-based frameworks. The results show that the three parameters are linked to each other in a way that necessitates simultaneous increase of a total loss (curtailment plus storage efficiency), penetration and storage capacity in the energy transition. Depending on the curtailment policy, penetration increases significantly with a small increase in storage capacity until it reaches a corresponding point of inflection. Based on these physical relationships, storage technologies were classified as diurnal and seasonal. Diurnal storage capacity continually increases to a maximum capacity of about daily average demand, which corresponds to a penetration of approximately 90% of annual demand where the deployment of seasonal storage significantly increases. Having no curtailment was shown to lead to higher total system cost as compared to the system optimised with curtailment. Overall, the nexus between the three factors was shown to define when to deploy and dispatch storage technologies. The evidence supporting these findings is detailed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The power sector is faced with strict requirements in reducing harmful emissions and substantially increasing the level of sustainability. Renewable energy (RE) in general and solar photovoltaic (PV) in particular can offer societally beneficial solutions. The LUT energy system transition model is used to simulate a cost‐optimised transition pathway towards 100% RE in the power sector by 2050. The model is based on hourly resolution for an entire year, the world structured in 145 regions, high spatial resolution of the input RE resource data, and transition steps of 5‐year periods. The global average solar PV electricity generation contribution is found to be about 69% in 2050, the highest ever reported. Detailed energy transition results are presented for representative countries in the world, namely, Poland, Britain and Ireland, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. The global average energy system levelised cost of electricity gradually declines from 70 €/MWh in 2015 to 52 €/MWh in 2050 throughout the transition period, while deep decarbonisation of more than 95% around 2040, referenced to 2015, would be possible. The targets of the Paris Agreement can be well achieved in the power sector, while increasing societal welfare, given strong policy leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high temporal and spatial resolution energy transition study was performed using a linear optimization based energy system transition model. The study uses Israel's electricity sector dataset, which has important characteristics typical for several Sun Belt countries. It has 7 scenarios aimed at assessing the impacts of various policy factors, such as carbon cost and coupling to the water sector. Under the present renewable electricity technology cost projections, a carbon cost only speeds up the transitions into renewable electricity. However, a No Carbon Cost scenario also achieves comparable results by 2050 (with only 2% fossil). The levelized cost of electricity in 2050 was shown to be less than that of 2015 in all scenarios except under the Current Policy. The Current Policy scenario will significantly increase the cost of electricity in the post-2020 period even when a carbon cost is ignored. The observed emission reduction comes after 2030 but there are still significant emissions by 2050. This shows that Israel's present energy policy carries multiple risks to the nation. Alternatively, Sun Belt countries, such as Israel, can speed the transition of the electricity sector without the need to implement carbon cost, only by promoting solar photovoltaics and supporting batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a pathway for Saudi Arabia to transition from the 2015 power structure to a 100% renewable energy-based system by 2050 and investigates the benefits of integrating the power sector with the growing desalination sector. Saudi Arabia can achieve 100% renewable energy power system by 2040 while meeting increasing water demand through seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) and multiple effect distillation (MED) desalination plants. The dominating renewable energy sources are PV single-axis tracking and wind power plants with 243 GW and 83 GW, respectively. The levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of the 2040 system is 49 €/MWh and decreases to 41 €/MWh by 2050. Corresponding levelised cost of water (LCOW) is found to be 0.8 €/m3 and 0.6 €/m3. PV single-axis tracking dominates the power sector. By 2050 solar PV accounts for 79% of total electricity generation. Battery storage accounts for 41% of total electricity demand. In the integrated scenario, due to flexibility provided by SWRO plants, there is a reduced demand for battery storage and power-to-gas (PtG) plants as well as a reduction in curtailment. Thus, the annual levelised costs of the integrated scenario is found to be 1–3% less than the non-integrated scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, Turkey’s energy transition towards 100% renewable energy (RE) until 2050 is analysed by using an hourly resolved model. Turkey is structured into seven geographical regions and all assumptions and data are collected and applied separately for the regions. The energy transition is simulated for two scenarios: a power sector scenario and power sector plus desalination and non-energetic industrial gas demand (integrated) scenario. Turkey has an enormous solar energy potential, which leads to an installed solar PV capacity of 287 GW (71% of total installed capacity) in the power scenario and 387 GW (73% of total installed capacity) in the integrated scenario in 2050. Solar PV and other installed RE systems are balanced by storage systems to increase the flexibility of the system. Levelised cost of electricity increased slightly in the power scenario, from a fossil fuel based system with 63 €/MW h el in 2015 to a fully RE-based system with 65.4 €/MW h el in 2050. The capacity mix in the power scenario entirely built for the assumptions of the year 2050 led to a cost of 51 €/MW h el , which can also be expected in the periods beyond 2050. In the integrated scenario, however, the costs decreased from 60.3 €/MW h el to 57.3 €/MW h el , mainly due to the benefit of sector coupling. A 100% RE system reduces energy import dependency and carbon emissions, while reducing the cost of energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global energy system has to be transformed towards high levels of sustainability in order to comply with the COP21 agreement. Solar photovoltaic (PV) offers excellent characteristics to play a major role in this energy transition. The key objective of this work is to investigate the role of PV in the global energy transition based on respective scenarios and a newly introduced energy transition model developed by the authors. A progressive group of energy transition scenarios present results of a fast growth of installed PV capacities and a high energy supply share of solar energy to the total primary energy demand in the world in the decades to come. These progressive energy transition scenarios can be confirmed. For the very first time, a full hourly modelling for an entire year is performed for the world, subdivided in 145 sub-regions, which is required to reflect the intermittent character of the future energy system. The model derives total installed solar PV capacity requirements of 7.1-9.1 TWp for the electricity sector (as of the year 2015) and 27.4 TWp for the entire energy system in the mid-term. The long-term capacity is expected to be 42 TWp and, because of the ongoing cost reduction of PV and battery technologies, this value is found to be the lower limit for the installed capacities. Solar PV electricity is expected to be the largest, least cost and most relevant source of energy in the mid-term to long-term for the global energy supply. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a discussion and response to "Global 100% energy transition by 2050: A fiction in developing economies?" authored by Anthony Afful-Dadzie and published in Joule 5 (2021) 1634–1643. The preview has raised concerns around the feasibility of energy transitions towards 100% renewable energy and sustainable technologies in developing economies, after examining the article Bogdanov et al. (2021) in Afful-Dadzie (2021). Although, the author has rightly pointed out the disparity in the recent growth of renewable energy across the developed and developing countries of the world, along with highlighting a pertinent issue of 'availability of finance' for energy transitions across developing countries, the preview fails to contextualise the issue of financing energy transitions, in particular across developing countries, and has trivialised complex and cumbersome cost optimal energy transition modelling with vague and unscientific illustrations. In response, the authors of Bogdanov et al. (2021) have contextualised, clarified and confuted the issues raised in Afful-Dadzie (2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threats and the necessity to achieve global Sustainable Development Goals demand unprecedented economic and social shifts around the world, including a fundamental transformation of the global energy system. An energy transition is underway in most regions, predominantly in the power sector. This research highlights the technical feasibility and economic viability of 100% renewable energy systems including the power, heat, transport and desalination sectors. It presents a technology-rich, multi-sectoral, multi-regional and cost-optimal global energy transition pathway for 145 regional energy systems sectionalised into nine major regions of the world. This 1.5 °C target compatible scenario with rapid direct and indirect electrification via Power-to-X processes and massive defossilisation indicates substantial benefits: 50% energy savings, universal access to fresh water and low-cost energy supply. It also provides an energy transition pathway that could lead from the current fossil-based system to an affordable, efficient, sustainable and secure energy future for the world. • Energy transition in power, heat and transport sectors is feasible across the world. • Power sector emerges as the backbone of the entire energy system. • Defossilisation and electrification result in the rise of overall system efficiency. • The described energy transition scenario is compatible with the 1.5 °C target. • Final energy demand grows in a cost-optimal pathway without carbon dioxide removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sector coupling leads to lower cost of energy supply in a RE-based system. • Power sector becomes the backbone of the entire energy system. • Integration impact depends on demand profiles, flexibility and storage cost. • Electrolysers are an important source of flexibility in an integrated system. • All sector defossilisation is achieved even for severe conditions as of Kazakhstan. Transition towards long-term sustainable energy systems is one of the biggest challenges faced by the global society. By 2050, not only greenhouse gas emissions have to be eliminated in all energy sectors: power, heat, transport and industry but also these sectors should be closely coupled allowing maximum synergy effects and efficiency. A tool allowing modelling of complex energy system transition for power, heat, transport and industry sectors, responsible for over 75% of the CO 2eq emissions, in full hourly resolution, is presented in this research and tested for the case of Kazakhstan. The results show that transition towards a 100% sustainable and renewable energy based system by 2050 is possible even for the case of severe climate conditions and an energy intensive industry, observed in Kazakhstan. The power sector becomes backbone of the entire energy system, due to more intense electrification induced sector coupling. The results show that electrification and integration of sectors enables additional flexibility, leading to more efficient systems and lower energy supply cost, even though integration effect varies from sector to sector. The levelised cost of electricity can be reduced from 62 €/MWh in 2015 to 46 €/MWh in 2050 in a fully integrated system, while the cost of heat stays on a comparable level within the range of 30–35 €/MWh, leading to an energy system cost on a level of 40–45 €/MWh. Transition towards 100% renewable energy supply shrinks CO 2eq emissions from these sectors to zero in 2050 with 90% of the reduction achieved by 2040. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A cost-optimized transition towards 100 % renewable energy is modelled for Finland to 2050. • Power, heat and transport sectors are modelled in high temporal and geographic resolutions. • Prosumers can self-generate up to 26 % of final electricity consumption by 2050. • Levelized cost of energy decreases with adoption of low-cost renewable energy and storage. • Combined heat and power plant capacity would reduce outside of industrial applications. A cost-optimised transition pathway towards 100 % renewable energy was simulated for Finland. This transition was consistent with EU and international targets to achieve sstainability, while maintaining national competitiveness. Finland was divided into 7 regions that account for resource distribution and demand differences at high spatial and hourly time resolutions. Results indicate that levelised cost of electricity can decrease from 61 €/MWh in 2015 to 53 €/MWh in 2050 and that levelised cost of heat can decrease from 29 €/MWh to 20 €/MWh based on the assumptions used in this study. Transport sector costs decrease for most vehicle classes through electrification but increase marginally for classes that use bioenergy-based or sustainable synthetic fuels. Costs decrease through the adoption of flexible generation by several renewable energy technologies, intra-regional interconnections, and the use of low-cost energy storage solutions. Results show less need for combined heat and power plants as the electrification increases through sector integration. Individuals and groups can become prosumers of energy, motivated by a desire to contribute to climate action and making choices for lower cost, sustainable energy. Collectively, society can increase a sense of agency through lower exposure to risks. A 100 % renewable energy system can be a resilient, low cost and low risk option for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate crisis coupled with energy poverty and injustice in Africa requires strategic measures to proffer sustainable solutions. A transition to a defossilised power sector is obtained for Africa by 2050, evolutionarily developed to fulfil the Paris Agreement. With the LUT Energy System Transition Model, the role of biomass in a least-cost power sector for Africa is investigated from 2020 to 2050 in five-year time steps. Techno-economic assumptions of employed technologies are applied. The study considers the current generation portfolio, lifespan of power plant technologies, and the current and future electricity demand to ascertain the best generation mix by 2050. Biomass potential of 334 TWh (17.5%) of the total African biomass potential of 1911 TWh is applied to the African power sector to develop two Best Policy Scenarios: a scenario without bioenergy (BPS-1) and a scenario with bioenergy (BPS-2). The results indicate a positive impact of bioenergy on the power sector: The total generation, total installed capacity, grid utilisation, levelised cost of electricity, and storage output decreased by 8.6%, 8.4%, 12.9%, 10.2%, 47.1% by 2050 respectively in BPS-2 relative to the BPS-1. In addition, flexible generation from biomass offers balancing to enhance variable renewable energy resources integration onto the power sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the transition to renewable energy for all purposes in developing countries. Ethiopia is chosen as a case study and is an exemplary of developing countries with comparable climatic and socioeconomic conditions. The techno-economic analysis of the transition is performed with the LUT Energy System Transition model, while the socio-economic aspects are examined in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reduction, improved energy services and job creation. Six scenarios were developed, which examine various policy constraints, such as greenhouse gas emission cost. The Best Policy Scenarios cost less than the Current Policy Scenarios and generate more job. The results of this research show that it is least costing, least greenhouse gas emitting and most job-rich to gradually transition Ethiopia's energy system into one that is dominated by solar PV, complemented by wind energy and hydropower. The modelling outcome reveals that it is not only technically and economically possible to defossilise the Ethiopian energy system, but it is the least cost option with greatest societal welfare. This is a first of its kind study for the Ethiopian energy system from a long-term perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Country specific CoC values could be used for early transition years but this begs the question of how the current CoC would converge toward the 2050 assumption. We support the critique of present CoC values, but this is of no practical help as the main question remains of how to project WACC (or CoC) to 2050 and beyond. Since there is still no better method on offer to estimate future CoC values, uniform CoC remains the best solution available. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Two transition pathways towards a 100% renewable energy (RE) power sector by 2050 are simulated for Europe using the LUT Energy System Transition model. The first is a Regions scenario, whereby regions are modelled independently, and the second is an Area scenario, which has transmission interconnections between regions. Modelling is performed in hourly resolution for 5-year time intervals, from 2015 to 2050, and considers current capacities and ages of power plants, as well as projected increases in future electricity demands. Results of the optimisation suggest that the levelised cost of electricity could fall from the current 69 €/MWh to 56 €/MWh in the Regions scenario and 51 €/MWh in the Area scenario through the adoption of low cost, flexible RE generation and energy storage. Further savings can result from increasing transmission interconnections by a factor of approximately four. This suggests that there is merit in further development of a European Energy Union, one that provides clear governance at a European level, but allows for development that is appropriate for regional contexts. This is the essence of a SuperSmart approach. A 100% RE energy system for Europe is economically competitive, technologically feasible, and consistent with targets of the Paris Agreement. Highlights • Two transition pathways featuring 100% renewable energy were simulated for Europe. • Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage support the transition. • Higher levels of grid interconnection result in 9% lower overall power system cost. • Solar PV prosumers with battery storage reduce the need for interconnections by 6%. • Policy and technological development should proceed in a SuperSmart manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Solar photovoltaic and battery dominated the 100% renewable electricity supply. • Levelised cost of electricity decreases during transition to 100% Renewable energy. • The findings are comparable to developing countries of similar climates to Nigeria. • Adopting solar promoting policies could be beneficial to Sun Belt countries. Abstract Ambitious actions focused on rapid defossilisation of today's energy systems require greater urgency, in order to avert unmanageable impacts of climate change. Transitioning to a cost-effective and carbon-neutral energy system in Nigeria and across the globe by the second half of this century is vital. This study explores a paradigmatic pathway to a fully sustainable energy system for Nigeria, by 2050. The research approach is to simulate a cost-optimised transition pathway towards 100% renewable energy based power system for Nigeria, using a linear optimisation model. The model is based on hourly resolution for an entire year. The country researched is structured into 6 sub-regions. The optimisation for each of the 5-year time periods is carried out based on assumed costs and technological status until 2050 for all energy technologies involved. The levelised cost of electricity declines from 54 €/MWh in 2015 to 46 €/MWh in 2050 for the power sector in the Best Policy Scenario and further declines to 35 €/MWh with sector coupling. Whereas, the cost of electricity increased to 75 €/MWh in the Current Policy Scenario without greenhouse gas emission cost. The results clearly reveal that integrating a renewable energy technology mix with a wide variety of storage technologies is the most competitive and least cost electricity option for Nigeria in the mid-term future, as indicated by the Best Policy Scenario. In particular, the compatibility and predominant role of solar photovoltaics and batteries is paramount towards a rapid transition of Nigeria's power sector, due to highly favourable economics. This study concludes with the implications of a stable and supportive policy environment, transitioning to a defossiliated energy system in Nigeria could be achieved in the mid-term future. This study is the first of its kind in full hourly resolution for Nigeria, and demonstrates the need for carrying out detailed analyses in examining gaps in energy transition understanding based on various policy constraints for developing countries in comparable climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable electricity-based fuels and chemicals are expected to play an ever-growing role in future sustainable energy systems. e-Fuels and e-chemicals are crucial for the defossilisation of hard-to-abate segments in long-distance aviation and marine, as well as industrial feedstocks. This study evaluates the role of e-fuels and e-chemicals in a global energy system transition from 2030 to 2050 by analysing the demand for these fuels, potential for production, and costs. Furthermore, the global trading potential of e-fuels and corresponding benefits are assessed. The wide availability of renewable resources enables the diversification of energy markets compared to the current concentrated fossil fuels trade, leading to lower volumes of traded e-products than currently traded volumes of fossil fuels. South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Middle East and North Africa regions emerge as important exporters of e-fuels and e-chemicals. This study estimates that 23–32% of the total demand will be traded, depending on the type of e-fuel and e-chemical. Results indicate that global trade will reduce the global average levelised cost of e-fuels and e-chemicals by 4.4–6.8% in 2050, with some regions yielding a reduction of up to 38% compared to a self-supply scenario. Globally, the trading of e-fuels and e-chemicals is estimated to reduce total energy costs by 136 b€ annually. The risk of supply disruptions to importers can be mitigated with diversified portfolio strategies combining different exporting regions. Global trade benefits both importers, as the costs of e-fuels and e-chemicals are reduced, and exporters that benefit from additional income, employment, and tax revenues. [Display omitted] • Global trade reduces average levelised cost of e-fuels by 4.4–6.8% in 2050. • Some regions see cost reductions of up to 38% compared to self-supply. • Shares of traded e-fuels and e-chemicals are lower in the future than today. • Sunbelt regions emerge as important exporters of e-fuels and e-chemicals. • Importers benefit from a more diversified portfolio of exporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defossilisation of the current fossil fuels dominated global energy system is one of the key goals in the upcoming decades to mitigate climate change. Sharp reduction in the costs of solar photovoltaics, wind power, and battery technologies enables a rapid transition of the power and some segments of the transport sectors to sustainable energy resources. However, renewable electricity-based fuels and chemicals are required for the defossilisation of hard-to-abate segments of transport and industry. The global demand for carbon dioxide as raw material for the production of e-fuels and e-chemicals during a global energy transition to 100% renewable energy is analysed in this research. Carbon dioxide capture and utilisation potentials from key industrial point sources, including cement mills, pulp and paper mills, and waste incinerators, are evaluated. According to this study's estimates, the demand for carbon dioxide increases from 0.6 in 2030 to 6.1 gigatonnes in 2050. Key industrial point sources can potentially supply 2.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide and thus meet the majority of the demand in the 2030s. By 2050, however, direct air capture is expected to supply the majority of the demand, contributing 3.8 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Sustainable and unavoidable industrial point sources and direct air capture are vital technologies which may help the world to achieve ambitious climate goals. • By 2050, 43,251 TWh th of renewable electricity based fuels and chemicals are needed. • Global demand for carbon dioxide will reach 6076 MtCO 2 annually in 2050. • Key industrial point sources cover 96% of the carbon dioxide demand in 2030. • Direct Air Capture covers 63% of the carbon dioxide demand in 2050. • Cement mills and waste incinerators are major suppliers of carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to analyse the impact of renewable energy (RE) technologies and sector coupling via analysing the transition pathways towards a sustainable energy system in Chile. Four energy transition scenarios for the power, heat, transport and desalination sectors were assessed using the LUT Energy System Transition model. The current policy scenario was modelled and compared with three best policy scenarios. The results showed that the transition to a 100 % renewable-based energy system by 2050 is technically feasible. Further, such an energy system would be more cost-efficient than the current policy scenario to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The results also indicate that Chile could reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and become a negative greenhouse gas emitter country by 2035. In a 100 % renewable-based energy system, solar photovoltaics (PV) would contribute 86 % of electricity generation, which would represent 83 % of the total final energy demand for the year 2050. This would imply the use of about 10 % of the available techno-economic RE potential of the country. Three vital elements (high level of renewable electrification across all sectors, flexibility and RE-based fuel production) and three key enablers (solar PV, interconnection and full sectoral integration) were identified in order to transition to a fully sustainable energy system. Chile could contribute to the global sustainable energy transition and advance to the global post-fossil fuels economy through the clean extraction of key raw materials and RE-based fuels and chemicals production. • Transitioning to a 100 % RE system would be more cost-efficient from 2035 onwards. • A fully defossilised energy system in Chile is technically feasible. • Electrification on all sectors, flexibility and RE-based fuels are vital elements. • Solar PV, interconnection and full sectoral integration are key enablers. • Chile could become a negative GHG emitter country by 2035. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition towards sustainable energy systems is of utmost importance to avert global consequences of climate change. Within the framework of the Paris Agreement and Marrakech Communique, this study analyses an energy transition pathway utilising renewable resources for the Philippines. The transition study is performed from 2015 to 2050 on a high temporal and spatial resolution data, using a linear optimisation tool. From the results of this study, technically, a 100% fossil free energy system in 2050 is possible, with a cost structure comparable to an energy system in 2015, while having zero greenhouse gas emissions. Solar PV as a generation and batteries a as storage technology form the backbone of the energy system during the transition. Direct and indirect electrification across all sectors would result in an efficiency gain of more than 50% in 2050, while keeping the total annual investment within 20–55 b€. Heat pumps, electrical heating, and solar thermal technologies would supply heat, whereas, direct electricity and synthetic fuels would fuel the energy needs of the transport sector. The results indicate that, indigenous renewable resources in the Philippines could power the demand from all energy sectors, thereby, bringing various socio-economic benefits. • 100% renewable energy system is cost competitive than the current fossil system. • Direct and indirect electrification of sectors results in massive efficiency gains. • Solar energy and batteries form the backbone of a fully renewable energy system. • Transition toward 100% renewable energy would bring various socio-economic benefits. • Policies supporting local renewable energy resources would speed up the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the discourse surrounding 100% renewable energy systems has evolved, several energy system modelling tools have been developed to demonstrate the technical feasibility and economic viability of fully sustainable, sector coupled energy systems. While the characteristics of these tools vary among each other, their purpose remains consistent in integrating renewable energy technologies into future energy systems. This paper examines two such energy system models, the LUT Energy System Transition model, an optimisation model, and the EnergyPLAN simulation tool, a simulation model, and develops cost-optimal scenarios under identical assumptions. This paper further analyses different novel modelling approaches used by modellers. Scenarios are developed using the LUT model for Sun Belt countries, for the case of Bolivia, to examine the effects of multi and single-node structuring, and the effects of overnight and energy transition scenarios are analysed. Results for all scenarios indicate a solar PV dominated energy system; however, limitations arise in the sector coupling capabilities in EnergyPLAN, leading it to have noticeably higher annualised costs compared to the single-node scenario from the LUT model despite similar primary levelised costs of electricity. Multi-nodal results reveal that for countries with rich solar resources, high transmission from regions of best solar resources adds little value compared to fully decentralised systems. Finally, compared to the overnight scenarios, transition scenarios demonstrate the impact of considering legacy energy systems in sustainable energy system analyses. • Direct comparison between two of the most widely used energy system models. • Reduction of spatial resolution in modelling does not necessarily lower costs. • High interregional interconnection shows little added value for Sun Belt countries. • Overnight scenarios undervalue annualised costs compared to transition scenarios. • Full LHV alignment compared to mixed LHV/HHV demonstrates minor result differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by climate mitigation goals countries around the world are prioritising low-cost renewables for economic growth and recovery from the aftermath of the global pandemic. It is quite clear that sustainable technology choices result in broader socioeconomic benefits, as is shown by countries that have been early movers in transitioning their energy sectors towards higher shares of renewables. There is growing interest in better understanding the direct impact on employment by energy transitions with concerns over jobs lost in the conventional energy sectors, which will be crucial in informing decision making around the world. This research focuses on the net employment impacts of an accelerated uptake of renewable energy that envisages the world deriving 100 % of its energy from renewable sources by 2050, compatible with the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement. Direct energy jobs associated with the power, heat, transport, and desalination sectors increase substantially from about 57 million in 2020 to nearly 134 million by 2050. Value chains in renewables and sustainable technologies are found to be more labour intensive than extractive fossil fuels. The results indicate that a global energy transition will have positive impacts on future stability and growth of economies around the world. • Global jobs in the energy sector rise from 57 million in 2020 to 134 million in 2050. • Solar PV, batteries and wind power are the major job creating technologies. • First global study presenting job creation projections for power-to-X technologies. • Renewable energy accounts for nearly 75 % of total direct energy jobs by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]