Making Europe Carbon-Neutral by 2050: the Vision of the Electricity Industry
Friday, 13th February 2009, EU Sustainable Energy Week
Welcome and introduction by Lars G. Josefsson
Lars G. Josefsson - Videoclip
“A carbon-neutral power supply delivered through a properly functioning competitive energy market will be a key part of the solution to the great energy-climate challenges,” Vattenfall CEO and EURELECTRIC President Lars G. Josefsson told EU policymakers and energy experts attending a workshop held on 13 February as part of Sustainable Energy Week in Brussels. Mr Josefsson outlined the vision of the European electricity industry - with determined application of new technology on the supply side, “carbon emissions reductions of 60-80% can be achieved by 2050” - and identified synergies with efficient electro-technologies on the demand side, including transport, where low-carbon electricity will help both to reduce carbon emissions and boost energy supply security.
Mr Josefsson pointed out that as almost the entire EU power-generation fleet will need to be replaced by 2030, a unique opportunity presents itself to get on the path to a carbon-neutral electricity system. He cited the results of the EURELECTRIC Role of Electricity (RoE) project completed in 2007, which show how the triple energy-climate challenge - ensuring secure energy supply, fostering sustainability and promoting economic competitiveness - can be met through a broad energy mix deploying all zero- or low-carbon technology options, combined with key synergies on the demand side. This will require an enabling legislative framework and clear market signals, underlined the EURELECTRIC President.
Mr Josefsson explained that the most favourable projections under RoE sees the carbon intensity of Europe’s power sector reducing from the current 0.45 tonnes CO2 per MWh to 0.1 t CO2/MWh by 2050. EURELECTRIC is now embarking on a fresh study, with the aim of creating a roadmap to a carbon-neutral sector by mid-century, taking account of timescales for expansion of renewable energy uptake, deployment of carbon capture & storage (CCS) technologies and ongoing and further use of nuclear power. It is likely that some plant (mainly CCS-equipped plant with less than 100% capture) will still be emitting some amounts of CO2 at that date, which means that some “carbon offsetting” activities will have to take place.
The EURELECTRIC President also pointed out that the development of network infrastructure would be crucial to deployment of a broad-mix supply and underlined the need for proper market signals from a robust international carbon-trading market by 2050.
Stressing that global energy-climate challenges require a global approach, Mr Josefsson referred to an International Electricity Partnership set up last October by some 30 electricity CEOs from the EU, USA, Canada, Japan and Australia meeting in Atlanta, USA. The Partnership will seek to work with policymakers and stakeholders worldwide on a roadmap designed to drive forward development and deployment of commercial technologies that will reduce carbon emissions.
Turning to the demand side, he argued the need to replace less energy-efficient or more carbon-intensive processes by carbon-neutral power, on the principle “less electricity where possible, more electricity where necessary”, citing energy-efficient lighting, heat pumps for spatial heating/cooling and electric or plug-in hybrid road vehicles as examples of vital synergies. The EURELECTRIC task force on electric vehicles is now working to bring together electricity industry standardisation efforts and liaise with car manufacturers to ensure a widely accepted standard. Mr Josefsson invited the European Commission to support this initiative so as to create competitive advantage for Europe.
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