This report is one in a series of Electrification Futures Study (EFS) publications. The EFS is a multi-year research project to explore potential widespread electrification in the future energy system of the United States. Electrification is defined as the substitution of electricity for direct combustion of non-electricity-based fuels (e.g., gasoline and natural gas) used to provide similar services.The EFS is specifically designed to examine electric technology advancement and adoption for end uses in all major economic sectors as well as electricity consumption growth and load profiles, future power system infrastructure development and operations, and the economic and environmental implications of electrification. Because of the expansive scope and the multi-year duration of the study, research findings and supporting data will be published as a series of reports, with each report released on its own timeframe. The table below shows the various research topics planned for examination under the EFS and how this report fits with the other components of the study. Topic Relation to this Report Electric technology cost and performance projections Provides technology data used in this report (Jadun et al. 2017) Electrification demand-side adoption scenarios This report Electric system supply-side scenarios Relies on electricity consumption reported in this report Electricity consumption patterns Relies on technology adoption projections reported in this report Electric system operations Relies on the consumption patterns and supplyside scenarios from other reports, which rely on data from this report Impacts assessment Relies on the technology adoption projections in this report along with data from other reportsThis report is the second publication in this series and presents scenarios of electric end-use technology adoption and resulting electricity consumption in the United States. The scenarios reflect a wide range of electricity demand growth through 2050 that result from various electric technology adoption and efficiency projections in the transportation, residential and commercial buildings, and industrial sectors. The report describes the methodology, assumptions, and limitations of the analysis. The demand scenarios provided in this report will be used to inform the supply scenarios and impacts to be presented in future reports under the EFS project. Results from the current demand-side scenarios can also be used by other researchers who wish to explore implications of electrification and demand growth in the U.S. economy.More information, the supporting data associated with this report, links to other reports in the EFS study, and information about the broader study are available at www.nrel.gov/efs. vi

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C points to the need for carbon neutrality by mid-century. Achieving this in the United States in only 30 years will be challenging, and practical pathways detailing the technologies, infrastructure, costs, and tradeoffs involved are needed. Modeling the entire U.S. energy and industrial system with new analysis tools that capture synergies not represented in sector-specific or integrated assessment models, we created multiple pathways to net zero and net negative CO 2 emissions by 2050. They met all forecast U.S. energy needs at a net cost of 0.2-1.2% of GDP in 2050, using only commercial or near-commercial technologies, and requiring no early retirement of existing infrastructure. Pathways with constraints on consumer behavior, land use, biomass use, and technology choices (e.g., no nuclear) met the target but at higher cost. All pathways employed four basic strategies: energy efficiency, decarbonized electricity, electrification, and carbon capture. Least-cost pathways were based on >80% wind and solar electricity plus thermal generation for reliability. A 100% renewable primary energy system was feasible but had higher cost and land use. We found multiple feasible options for supplying low-carbon fuels for non-electrifiable end uses in industry, freight, and aviation, which were not required in bulk until after 2035. In the next decade, the actions required in all pathways were similar: expand renewable capacity 3.5 fold, retire coal, maintain existing gas generating capacity, and increase electric vehicle and heat pump sales to >50% of market share. This study provides a playbook for carbon neutrality policy with concrete near-term priorities. Plain Language Summary We created multiple blueprints for the United States to reach zero or negative CO 2 emissions from the energy system by 2050 to avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change. By methodically increasing energy efficiency, switching to electric technologies, utilizing clean electricity (especially wind and solar power), and deploying a small amount of carbon capture technology, the United States can reach zero emissions without requiring changes to behavior. Cost is about $1 per person per day, not counting climate benefits; this is significantly less than estimates from a few years ago because of recent technology progress. Models with more detail than used in the past revealed unexpected synergies, counterintuitive results, and tradeoffs. The lowest-cost electricity systems get >80% of energy from wind and solar power but need other resources to provide reliable service. Eliminating fossil fuel use altogether is possible but higher cost. Restricting biomass use and land for renewables is possible but could require nuclear power to compensate. All blueprints for the United States agree on the key tasks for the 2020s: increasing the capacity of wind and solar power by 3.5 times, retiring coal plants, and increasing electric vehicle and electric heat pum...

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