
The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) and Evolved Energy Research came together to present the pathways for achieving zero net-carbon. Elena Crete, Ryan Jones, and Jamil Farbes all centered on one idea: for a sustainable future, we must achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The panelists' modeling work showed that achieving carbon neutrality for the US—and the Midwest—is technically feasible and affordable with existing technology. They highlighted the need for early action and outlined a decade by decade plan, benchmarking short term goals for 2030 and 2040. Evolved Energy further simplified the plan into four principal strategies (“four pillars”): electricity decarbonization, energy efficiency, electrification of the end-uses, and carbon capture. In treating the American Midwest as a case study, they convincingly demonstrated that there is a high capacity for this fossil fuel-dependent region to decarbonize and even lead the energy transition by utilizing its strengths in wind, biofuels, automotive industry, and investing in new technology such as carbon capture and storage. The team focuses on Midwest-specific strengths and constraints that allow individuals, corporations, and governments to prioritize various projects.
Still, there are inherent limitations associated with pathway analysis. An important one, as pointed out by Evolved Energy Research, is how the cost estimations had to be decreased significantly due to rapid technology improvements over the last few years. This warrants a careful communication of assumptions and limitations of the analysis to decision-makers.
Although this work by EvolvedEnergy Research and the UNSDSN is not intended to be the final word, they have created incredibly detailed pathways that successfully illustrate the required end state of an energy system needed for carbon neutrality and show us how to get there.
Session summary by SISE Fellows Aparna Dev and Sada Wachche
The panelists' modeling work showed that achieving carbon neutrality for the US—and the Midwest—is technically feasible and affordable with existing technology. They highlighted the need for early action and outlined a decade by decade plan, benchmarking short term goals for 2030 and 2040. Evolved Energy further simplified the plan into four principal strategies (“four pillars”): electricity decarbonization, energy efficiency, electrification of the end-uses, and carbon capture. In treating the American Midwest as a case study, they convincingly demonstrated that there is a high capacity for this fossil fuel-dependent region to decarbonize and even lead the energy transition by utilizing its strengths in wind, biofuels, automotive industry, and investing in new technology such as carbon capture and storage. The team focuses on Midwest-specific strengths and constraints that allow individuals, corporations, and governments to prioritize various projects.
Still, there are inherent limitations associated with pathway analysis. An important one, as pointed out by Evolved Energy Research, is how the cost estimations had to be decreased significantly due to rapid technology improvements over the last few years. This warrants a careful communication of assumptions and limitations of the analysis to decision-makers.
Although this work by EvolvedEnergy Research and the UNSDSN is not intended to be the final word, they have created incredibly detailed pathways that successfully illustrate the required end state of an energy system needed for carbon neutrality and show us how to get there.
Session summary by SISE Fellows Aparna Dev and Sada Wachche
Watch a video of the full session here.