L R AS Published on Sunday 20 September 2020 - n° 332 - Categories:forecasts;
Projections of PV installations for 2050 seem unrealistic
According to the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC), five to six times as many solar and wind power plants would have to be built each year as were built in 2019. It would be necessary to install
a total of 13,000 to 18,000 GW in thirty years, if a carbon-free economy is to be achieved by 2050. This represents an investment of 32 trillion dollars (i.e. 1,000 to 2,000 billion dollars per year).
The objective is achievable because the reduction in the cost of renewable energies makes the zero-carbon economy easily attainable.
PV Tech of 16 September
NDLR If 100 GW were installed in 2019 or 2020, the thirty years that separate us from 2050 would make an installation volume of 3,000 GW. Compared to this rhythm, it would therefore be necessary to quadruple to six times the annual installations. Is this financially possible? Do we have the available surface area for as many solar power plants? Do we realise how difficult it would be to achieve this? Probably, an alternative to the current traditional installations will have to be found. What kind of solution? Here again, throwing figures around is not binding, but the public believes in them and thinks it is possible. We should be serious!
