Decarbonising Electricity
Key messages:
- A net-zero EU in 2050 requires net-zero electricity emissions by 2040.
- Achieving net-zero electricity emissions by 2040 in the EU is possible and affordable.
- Net-zero electricity emissions by 2040 requires existing instruments to be tightened and extended in order to set out a clear long-term pathway to this goal.
- There are technical challenges to the operation of zero-carbon electricity systems, which need to be addressed early, to ensure a smooth and secure transition.
- Investments in innovation and skills, attending to all stages in the innovation chain, remain crucial to supporting the transition and capturing its economic benefits.
- The political challenges are as important as the technical challenges, with attention to just transitions at the regional scale essential to meet net-zero targets.