How photovoltaics can contribute to GHG emission reductions of 55% in the EU by 2030

The new European Commission plans to raise the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target for 2030 from 40% towards 55% and to make Europe the first climate neutral continent by 2050. Achieving this will require accelerated energy efficiency measures, deeper electrification of sectors currently consuming conventional fuels and deployment of more renewables, faster. This opinion article looks specifically at the role of photovoltaics (PV), using scenarios from the Commission’s 2018 long-term strategy (LTS) for energy and climate. To achieve 55% GHG emissions reduction PV capacity would need to reach 455 to 605 GW, depending on the strategic policy scenario. Achieving this in the 2020-2030 timeframe a compound annual growth rate between 12 and 15% would increase the annual EU market from approximately 14.5 GW in 2019 to a size between 50 and 80 GW by 2030. Such a volume is environmentally sustainable, and can provide the basis for reviving the EU solar manufacturing industry as well creating more than 100 000 jobs along the value chain.

JAEGER-WALDAU Arnulf;  KOUGIAS Ioannis;  TAYLOR Nigel;  THIEL Christian; 

2020-05-19

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC119156

1364-0321 (online),   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC119156,   

10.1016/j.rser.2020.109836 (online),