An energy system offering the best aspects of the energy-independent ‘prosumer nations’ and pan continental ‘supergrids’ could offer Europe the prospect of an energy system powered entirely from renewables in 2050. That is the finding of a new study by Christian Breyer, professor of solar economy at Finland’s Lappeenranta University of Technology, and Claudia Kemfert, head of energy, transportation and environment at the German Institute of Economic Research (DIW). In the paper Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe , Breyer and Kemfert claim a smart grid approach – midway between a super-grid and completely decentralized energy systems – would be necessary to help Europe to have an energy mix based on 100% renewable energy by 2050 – an ambition outlined by Breyer in a pv magazine interview.

In a previous interview with pv magazine, the head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs, Indra Overland had predicted a future world marked by supergrids connecting areas with strong renewable energy resources to those in need, offering balancing between the naturally complementary generation cycles of solar and wind and extensive enough to cater to different daylight hours. Overland added, however, inevitable geopolitical tensions would see some ‘prosumer’ states attempt to go it alone as energy independent areas drawing power from their renewables infrastructure. Breyer and Kemfert’s new work claims a flexible energy system drawing on the best of both ideas could see the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in Europe fall by up to 26% […]