Global zero-carbon energy pathways using viable mixes of nuclear and renewables

Hong, Sanghyun; Bradshaw, Corey J. A.; Brook, Barry W.

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.01.006

Cited by 63 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…First, numerous studies document the rapid cost declines of renewable energy [42][43][44], the feasibility of large scale deployment of zero emissions technologies including renewables, biomass, hydro, and nuclear [43,45,46], the overall modest macroeconomic costs such a program would entail [43,47,48], and the significant co-benefits of widespread zero carbon deployment [49,50]. Challenges remain, both on cost and grid integration [51,52], but large-scale deployment of zero carbon electricity appears inevitable; the question is not if but how fast.…”

Section: Tablementioning

confidence: 99%

The ‘2°C capital stock’ for electricity generation: Committed cumulative carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector and the transition to a green economy

et al. 2016

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Section: Tablementioning

confidence: 99%

The ‘2°C capital stock’ for electricity generation: Committed cumulative carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector and the transition to a green economy

et al. 2016

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“…Even with the rapid construction of nuclear energy to replace its entire coal-fired and gas-fired baseload capacity (as France achieved >75 per cent nuclear penetration in 20 years) (Hong et al 2015), electricity production accounts for only about 33 per cent of Australia's total emissions (Commonwealth of Australia 2015b). Thus, even a complete decarbonization of the nation's electricity production would not be enough to meet a 2050 target of 80 per cent reduction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implications of Australia's Population Policy for Future Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets

Bradshaw

Brook

2016

Asia & Pacific Policy Stud

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Australia's high per capita emissions rates makes it is a major emitter of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, but its low intrinsic growth rate means that future increases in population size will be dictated by net overseas immigration. We constructed matrix models and projected the population to 2100 under six different immigration scenarios. A constant 1 per cent proportional immigration scenario would result in 53 million people by 2100, producing 30.7 Gt CO 2 -e over that interval. Zero net immigration would achieve approximate population stability by mid-century and produce 24.1 Gt CO 2 -e. Achieving a 27 per cent reduction in annual emissions by 2030 would require a 1.5-to 2.0-fold reduction in per-capita emissions; an 80 per cent reduction by 2050 would require a 5.8-to 10.2-fold reduction. Australia's capacity to limit its future emissions will therefore depend primarily on a massive technological transformation of its energy sector, but business-as-usual immigration rates will make achieving meaningful mid-century targets more difficult.

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“…These include: HUM 29,2 (1) The above exercise assumes average winter demand but extra capacity would be needed to meet peak demand, and this can multiply the total system capacity required by 1.3-1.5. (The Australian ratio is nearer to 2/1.)…”

Section: The Hydrogen Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Can the world run on renewable energy? A revised negative case

Trainer¹

2013

Humanomics

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Purpose -The discussion of climate change and energy problems is generally based on the assumption that technical solutions are possible and that the task is essentially to determine the most effective ways. This view relies heavily on the expectation that renewable energy sources can be substituted for fossil fuels. The purpose of this paper is to improve on an earlier attempt to estimate the investment cost that would be involved in deriving total world energy supply from renewable sources. Design/methodology/approach -This discussion improves on an earlier attempt to estimate the investment cost that would be involved in deriving total world energy supply from renewable sources. It takes common assumptions re future energy demand and estimates of future output and capital costs of major renewable energy sources and explores four strategies for supplying global energy demand in 2050.Findings -This paper finds that the greenhouse and energy problems cannot be solved by action on the supply side, i.e. by technical developments which promise to provide quantities taken for granted in energy-intensive societies. This general "limits to growth" perspective is that these and the other major global problems can only be solved by action on the demand side, i.e. by moving to ways, values, institutions and systems which greatly reduce the need for materials, energy and ecological resources. Research limitations/implications -Confidence in the conclusions is limited mainly by the lack of evidence at this point in time on the actual difficulties set by the problem of integrating the intermittent sources, and the resulting need for redundant plant. Practical implications -Each of the four strategies explored requires large amounts of redundant plant to be able to cope with the intermittency problem. Each leads to total system capital costs which are well beyond affordable levels. Social implications -The findings add to the general "limits to growth" case that solutions to the global energy and other sustainability problems cannot be achieved within consumer-capitalist society but must be sought via dramatic reductions in production, consumption and GDP. This would require radical system change from the commitment to growth, market systems and affluent lifestyles, to what is described as The Simpler Way. Originality/value -It does not seem that this approach has previously been taken to the specific issue of the potential and limits of renewable energy. Little or no attention has been given to the thesis that global sustainability and justice require transition to some kind of Simpler Way.

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Global zero-carbon energy pathways using viable mixes of nuclear and renewables

Cited by 63 publications

References 43 publications

The ‘2°C capital stock’ for electricity generation: Committed cumulative carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector and the transition to a green economy

The ‘2°C capital stock’ for electricity generation: Committed cumulative carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector and the transition to a green economy

Implications of Australia's Population Policy for Future Greenhouse Gas Emissions Targets

Can the world run on renewable energy? A revised negative case

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