Researchers agree: The world can reach a 100% renewable energy system by 2050

helsinkitimes.fi

2 pointsepistasis2 comments

This is a complex goal. Setting arguments about the economics and ROI of this or that, one issue which always comes into play is dealing with "base load" energy needs. Today, base loads are provided by coal, natural gas, hydro, nuclear, and so forth. Take the fossil fuel sources out and what do you have left? Bucky Fuller argued for a global power grid so that renewables generating unneeded energy can be wheeled to places where base load is ramping up. That hasn't happened.

There's a lot more options on the table today:

> Key pillars of this new energy system are solar and wind energy, energy storage, sector coupling, and electrification of all energy and industry sectors implying power-to-X and hydrogen-to-X solutions, complemented by upcoming carbon dioxide removal to help stabilize the climate.

All of the items in that list after wind and solar are the modern ways to match supply to demand dynamically. Unfortunately a global grid is not as plausible.

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