We have made considerable progress in twelve years and the new European Union targets change the scale of renewables, facilitating the electrification of uses. Renewable energies must be pushed to the maximum regardless the future of nuclear power generation.
- The development of renewable electricity in Europe has enabled a significant reduction in coal's share of the electricity mix and in the carbon content of the kWh, and has helped face the gas, hydro and nuclear crises in Europe in 2022.
- Onshore wind and solar power are among the cheapest energy sources to implement in Europe today and their integration into electrical systems is possible on a large scale. By facilitating electrification, they also reduce primary energy demand.
- Accelerating the deployment of renewable energies is an absolute necessity to ensure the energy security of France and Europe, regardless of the future of civil nuclear power.
- Ensuring electricity security will require more interconnections, storage and demand response. European states relying solely on renewables will need thermal power plants (gas or hydrogen) to provide flexibility, whose emissions, if any, will need to be compensated.
Authors
- Published in
- Briefings de l'Ifri, 22 novembre 2022
