Page 32 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2018 publication
P. 32
32 Summer 2018 European Energy Innovation
CLEAN POWER
Powering people to
fight climate change
By Marion Labatut, Director Policy Issues, Eurelectric
Early this year, the European and climatic crossroad, and the clean power sector will have a very
electricity sector rolled up power sector is on a mission. Beyond high share of renewables, wind,
its sleeves to accelerate the deep overhaul of its production solar, biomass, the often forgotten
its contribution to the fight modes, it also contributes to a hydro (17% of the EU’s 2017 power
against climate change. Its plan is societal ambition. Electricity is much generation!) and probably new pilot
to deliver carbon neutral electricity more than an electron travelling a technologies such floating turbines,
to Europe well before 2050, and cable to power your devices. It is waves’ or tidal energy. It will also have
to develop clean electricity uses in a means to an end for a smarter, nuclear in countries that choose it as
transport, buildings and industrial energy efficient and more sustainable a transition technology and perhaps
applications. society where people breathe clean Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for
air and commute in a seamless way. the remaining thermal plants.
Some have argued that this plan is
too ambitious and that it can’t be So how do we get there? 2050 is Flexibility and different types of
done, but let’s pause for a moment a long way, but some of the key storage will be needed to make the
here. The world is at a technological technologies are already here. The best use of variable renewables (RES),
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