In view of the huge interest in achieving renewable energy systems for the world, researchers and scientists across the globe have finally managed to prove through their research studies that 100% of the renewable energy systems can be accomplished by the year 2050. Primary research from the LUT University, along with 14 other universities, put forward their studies and contemplated that this incredible system could be made possible through solar and wind energy, energy storage, sector coupling, and direct and indirect electrification, etc. All these continuous researches have shown an increase of 27% in the trend towards exploring new avenues for renewable energy systems since 2010.
Regarding this, professor Christian Breyer from LUT University says, “A rapidly increasing number of researchers conclude that the entire energy system demand can be met based on renewables and that doing so will actually be cheaper in the long term while fulfilling sustainability requirements.” The most recent review of this research has been published in IEEE Access with the tagline, “On the History and Future of 100% Renewable Energy Systems Research.” The most interesting part of this combined research is that around 20 authors from 15 companies have stepped up to take part in this process, originating from 9 countries.
On that count, Dr. Sven Teske, Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), stated, “According to the United Nations, over 160 firms with $70 trillion in assets are committed to decarbonizing the global economy, which means phasing out fossil fuels by 2050. Our research has shown that we have the technologies to implement a global energy supply based entirely on renewable energy. ” He further said, “The science clearly shows that a global 100% renewable energy supply is technically and economically possible. The next step is for our research to be included in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s assessment reports, which are currently based on outdated energy scenario research”.
On the other hand, regardless of how optimistic the researchers may seem about achieving the target, there is still room for improvement. Contributions from government agencies, NGOs, and many big companies are still needed for the implementation procedure and to develop an understanding among the public. According to Brian V. Mathiesen, from Aalborg University, Denmark, “The technologies are already there. The substantial evidence presented is already empirical evidence in several regions and countries. The ability to exploit synergies across energy efficiency, electrification, district heating, and electro fuels is certainly proven. Now decision-makers have to stop all new investments in fossil fuels and focus on creating renewable energy based smart energy systems”.
By looking on the brighter side, the project can be easily made possible even before 2050, as Auke Hoekstra from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands said, “Many young people are depressed because they feel climate change cannot be stopped. We want to offer them hope by showing that our world can get all its energy needs from renewables at a price below that of fossil fuels. When we first proposed this, we were ridiculed, but this paper shows our ideas are now scientific mainstream”.
