scholarly journals Early decarbonisation of the European energy system pays off

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Victoria ◽  
Kun Zhu ◽  
Tom Brown ◽  
Gorm B. Andresen ◽  
Martin Greiner
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Carbon Budget ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Sharp Reduction ◽  
Initial Reduction

AbstractFor a given carbon budget over several decades, different transformation rates for the energy system yield starkly different results. Here we consider a budget of 33 GtCO2 for the cumulative carbon dioxide emissions from the European electricity, heating, and transport sectors between 2020 and 2050, which represents Europe’s contribution to the Paris Agreement. We have found that following an early and steady path in which emissions are strongly reduced in the first decade is more cost-effective than following a late and rapid path in which low initial reduction targets quickly deplete the carbon budget and require a sharp reduction later. We show that solar photovoltaic, onshore and offshore wind can become the cornerstone of a fully decarbonised energy system and that installation rates similar to historical maxima are required to achieve timely decarbonisation. Key to those results is a proper representation of existing balancing strategies through an open, hourly-resolved, networked model of the sector-coupled European energy system.

scholarly journals Early decarbonisation of the European energy system pays off

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Victoria ◽  
Kun Zhu ◽  
Tom Brown ◽  
Gorm Andresen ◽  
Martin Greiner
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Carbon Budget ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Sharp Reduction ◽  
Initial Reduction

Abstract For a given carbon budget over several decades, different transformation rates for the energy system yield starkly different results. We consider a budget of 33 GtCO2 for the cumulative carbon dioxide emissions from the European electricity, heating, and transport sectors between 2020 and 2050, which represents Europe's contribution to the Paris Agreement. We have found that following an early and steady path in which emissions are strongly reduced in the first decade is more cost-effective than following a late and rapid path in which low initial reduction targets quickly deplete the carbon budget and require a sharp reduction later. Costs of solar photovoltaic, onshore and offshore wind have plummeted during the last decade. We found that those technologies can become the cornerstone of a fully decarbonised energy system and that installation rates similar to historical maxima are required to achieve timely decarbonization. Key to those results is a proper representation of existing balancing strategies through an open, hourly-resolved, networked model of the sector-coupled European energy system.

scholarly journals How necessary and feasible are reductions of methane emissions from livestock to support stringent temperature goals?

2021 ◽  
Vol 379 (2210) ◽  
pp. 20200452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Reisinger ◽  
Harry Clark ◽  
Annette L. Cowie ◽  
Jeremy Emmet-Booth ◽  
Carlos Gonzalez Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Carbon Budget ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Emission Sources ◽  
Atmospheric Lifetime ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Reduce Emissions

Agriculture is the largest single source of global anthropogenic methane (CH 4 ) emissions, with ruminants the dominant contributor. Livestock CH 4 emissions are projected to grow another 30% by 2050 under current policies, yet few countries have set targets or are implementing policies to reduce emissions in absolute terms. The reason for this limited ambition may be linked not only to the underpinning role of livestock for nutrition and livelihoods in many countries but also diverging perspectives on the importance of mitigating these emissions, given the short atmospheric lifetime of CH 4 . Here, we show that in mitigation pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C, which include cost-effective reductions from all emission sources, the contribution of future livestock CH 4 emissions to global warming in 2050 is about one-third of that from future net carbon dioxide emissions. Future livestock CH 4 emissions, therefore, significantly constrain the remaining carbon budget and the ability to meet stringent temperature limits. We review options to address livestock CH 4 emissions through more efficient production, technological advances and demand-side changes, and their interactions with land-based carbon sequestration. We conclude that bringing livestock into mainstream mitigation policies, while recognizing their unique social, cultural and economic roles, would make an important contribution towards reaching the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement and is vital for a limit of 1.5°C. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Rising methane: is warming feeding warming? (part 1)'.

scholarly journals Optimal Synergy between Photovoltaic Panels and Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Green Power Supply of a Green Building—A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6304
Author(s):  
Raluca-Andreea Felseghi ◽  
Ioan Așchilean ◽  
Nicoleta Cobîrzan ◽  
Andrei Mircea Bolboacă ◽  
Maria Simona Raboaca
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Supply ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Generation System ◽  
Photovoltaic Panels

Alternative energy resources have a significant function in the performance and decarbonization of power engendering schemes in the building application domain. Additionally, “green buildings” play a special role in reducing energy consumption and minimizing CO2 emissions in the building sector. This research article analyzes the performance of alternative primary energy sources (sun and hydrogen) integrated into a hybrid photovoltaic panel/fuel cell system, and their optimal synergy to provide green energy for a green building. The study addresses the future hydrogen-based economy, which involves the supply of hydrogen as the fuel needed to provide fuel cell energy through a power distribution infrastructure. The objective of this research is to use fuel cells in this field and to investigate their use as a green building energy supply through a hybrid electricity generation system, which also uses photovoltaic panels to convert solar energy. The fuel cell hydrogen is supplied through a distribution network in which hydrogen production is outsourced and independent of the power generation system. The case study creates virtual operating conditions for this type of hybrid energy system and simulates its operation over a one-year period. The goal is to demonstrate the role and utility of fuel cells in virtual conditions by analyzing energy and economic performance indicators, as well as carbon dioxide emissions. The case study analyzes the optimal synergy between photovoltaic panels and fuel cells for the power supply of a green building. In the simulation, an optimally configured hybrid system supplies 100% of the energy to the green building while generating carbon dioxide emissions equal to 11.72% of the average value calculated for a conventional energy system providing similar energy to a standard residential building. Photovoltaic panels account for 32% of the required annual electricity production, and the fuel cells generate 68% of the total annual energy output of the system.

scholarly journals Non-deforestation drivers of fires are increasingly important sources of aerosol and carbon dioxide emissions across Amazonia

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William T. Morgan ◽  
Eoghan Darbyshire ◽  
Dominick V. Spracklen ◽  
Paulo Artaxo ◽  
Hugh Coe
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Ecosystem Health ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Deforestation Rate ◽  
Deforestation Rates ◽  
Drought Conditions ◽  
In Fire

AbstractDeforestation rates have declined substantially across the Brazilian Legal Amazon (BLA) over the period from 2000–2017. However, reductions in fire, aerosol and carbon dioxide have been far less significant than deforestation, even when accounting for inter-annual variability in precipitation. Our observations and analysis support a decoupling between fire and deforestation that has exacerbated forest degradation in the BLA. Basing aerosol and carbon dioxide emissions on deforestation rates, without accounting for forest degradation will bias these important climate and ecosystem-health parameters low, both now and in the future. Recent increases in deforestation rate since 2014 will enhance such degradation, particularly during drought-conditions, increasing emissions of aerosol and greenhouse gases. Given Brazil’s committed Nationally Determined Contribution under the Paris Agreement, failure to account for forest degradation fires will paint a false picture of prior progress and potentially have profound implications for both regional and global climate.

scholarly journals Designing a Statistical Procedure for Monitoring Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikkel Bennedsen
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Testing Procedure ◽  
Paris Agreement ◽  
Sequential Testing ◽  
Monitoring Procedure ◽  
Nationally Determined Contributions ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
Global Carbon

Abstract Following the Paris Agreement of 2015, most countries have agreed to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions according to individually set Nationally Determined Contributions. However, national CO2 emissions are reported by individual countries and cannot be directly measured or verified by third parties. Inherent weaknesses in the reporting methodology may misrepresent, typically an under-reporting of, the total national emissions. This paper applies the theory of sequential testing to design a statistical monitoring procedure that can be used to detect systematic under-reportings of CO2 emissions. Using simulations, we investigate how the proposed sequential testing procedure can be expected to work in practice. We find that, if emissions are reported faithfully, the test is correctly sized, while, if emissions are under-reported, detection time can be sufficiently fast to help inform the 5 yearly global "stocktake" of the Paris Agreement. We recommend the monitoring procedure be applied going forward as part of a larger portfolio of methods designed to verify future global CO2 emissions.

scholarly journals The U.S. Energy System and the Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel From Clean Electricity

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Male ◽  
Michael C. W. Kintner-Meyer ◽  
Robert S. Weber
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Aviation Fuel ◽  
Commercial Aviation ◽  
The Future ◽  
The U.S

Jet fuel is relatively small in terms of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions (10% of U.S. transportation sector in 2021, expected to increase to 14% by 2050). Still airlines have ambitious goals to reduce their greenhouse footprints from carbon-neutral growth beginning this year to reducing greenhouse gas emission for international flights by 50% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. The challenge is heightened by the longevity of the current fleet (30–50 years) and by the difficulty in electrifying the future fleet because only 5% of the commercial aviation greenhouse gas footprint is from regional flights that might, conceivably be electrified using foreseeable technology. Therefore, large amounts of sustainable aviation fuel will be needed to reach the aggressive targets set by airlines. Only 3 million gallons (11.4 ML) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) (with a heat of combustion totaling about 400 TJ = 0.0004 EJ) was produced in the U.S. in 2019 for a 26 billion gallon per year market (3.6 EJ/year). Fischer-Tropsch and ethanol oligomerization (alcohol-to-jet) are considered for producing SAF, including the use of renewable electricity and carbon dioxide. In sequencing the energy transition, cleaning the U.S. grid is an important first step to have the largest greenhouse gas emissions reduction. While carbon dioxide and clean electricity can potentially provide the SAF in the future, an ethanol oligomerization option will require less energy.

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