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The ‘base’ scenario envisions notable progress across various technologies, with sustained cost reductions for renewables until 2050 and a land-availability-based cap of 74 GW on onshore wind expansion, not accounting for potential local opposition. Simultaneously, the introduction of new nuclear power aligns with expectations of rather successful and minimally delayed projects. Further, the scenario assumes the establishment of CO2 transport and storage infrastructure by 2035 and nearly 100% carbon capture efficiency for CCS-equipped power plants by 2050. Finally, the ‘base’ scenario presupposes groundwork, including regulatory frameworks, for the expansion of all technologies. Deviations from the above-described ‘base’ scenario assumptions are explored with a set of sensitivity scenarios. In case the anticipated technological developments do not materialize, or the necessary groundwork is not established for all technologies, the study explores conservative scenarios. These scenarios simulate a less optimistic development for different technologies: • Denoted ‘VRE --’: Development of costs for wind and solar stagnates whilst simultaneously facing significant public opposition enabling a significantly lower maximum expansion potential. • Denoted ‘nucl. --’: Initial nuclear projects don’t obtain strong governmental support, starting off expensive. • Denoted ‘CCS --’: Costs experienced for transport and storage of CO2 becomes higher than expected. • Denoted ‘VRE -- no nucl. no CCS’: The decarbonization strategy heavily relies on wind and solar technologies; however, their cost decrease stagnates, and they struggle with negative public opinion. These scenarios represent distinctly different decarbonized systems and capacity mixes, making them ideal for a deeper comparison. Table 1 offers this comparative analysis, illustrating their generation mixes and shedding light on competitiveness and sustainability in these conservative scenarios, providing valuable insights into diverse decarbonization pathways.