An Economically Viable 100% Renewable Energy System for All Energy Sectors of Germany in 2030

Abstract

To be able to fulfil the Paris Climate Agreement and keep global warming with reasonable confidence at a maximum of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, Germany must set an end to all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. At the core of this task is the switch to 100% renewables across all sectors on the same time horizon. Conventional technologies fueled by fossil and nuclear energies are, according to the vast majority of current cost calculations, energetically inefficient, too expensive, and too slow in expansion to be able to deliver a substantial contribution to rapid climate protection. We present the first comprehensive energy scenario that shows the way to 100% renewable energy for all energy sectors by 2030. The result of the calculations is a cost-effective energy system that is compatible with the German share of necessary greenhouse gas reduction. This study shows a target system of generation, conversion, and storage technologies that can achieve the transformation to 100% renewable energy in all energy sectors—electricity, heat, and mobility—in time and at competitive costs below the costs of the current system. Moreover, we demonstrate the huge cost effect that arises if southern Germany renounces its onshore wind resources and find that this would substantially increase the need for high-voltage direct-current transmission capacity.

On the History and Future of 100% Renewable Energy Systems Research

“…It was not until new political pressure, including from the Fridays for Future movement, supported by Scientists for Future [157], [158], that the consequence of the signed Paris Agreement was more explicitly addressed in the public and placed at the forefront of the political agenda. Since then, there has been a long series of new studies concretely dealing with the design of a 100% RE scenario for Germany such as [97], [159], [160], [161], [162], [163], [164], linking to earlier studies preparing the ground [71], [155], [165], [166]. Due to the Russian war in the Ukraine, politicians are currently even discussing ways to be largely independent of fossil fuels, at least in terms of electricity supply, by 2035 [167], which is now the 100% RE target for electricity supply in Germany.…”

Urban-Rural Cooperation for an Economy with 100% Renewable Energy and Climate Protection towards 2030 - the Region Berlin-Brandenburg

“…This study uses the linear model Mira-Mod, a model which is documented in its previous version in [34] and also considers the option of a hydrogen pipeline network here.…”

“…The potential for geothermal energy was set in accordance with analysis for the European and German cases [48], [49].The power line capacity between Berlin and Brandenburg has currently about 1.2 GW of capacity and is assumed to be expandable to 1.8 GW by 2030. All hourly load and availability data used in this study are taken from Traber et al [34]. We derive results based on the cost assumption for the reference year 2025.…”

From Smart Grids to Super Smart Grids: A Roadmap for Strategic Demand Management for Next Generation SAARC and European Power Infrastructure

“…The consequences of the signed Paris Agreement were not more openly discussed in the community or elevated to the top of the political agenda until increased political pressure, particularly that from the Fridays for Future act and endorsed by Scientists for Future [277], [278]. Since then, a number of fresh studies, including [215], [279], [280], [281], [282], [283], [284], have dealt specifically with the creation of 100 percent RE scheme for Germany, building on prior studies that laid the foundation [188], [276], [285], [286].…”