ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1
Stage 1: Total energy produced by wind and solar 2020-2050 in 2°C emissions scenario
2
WindSourceNotesSolarSource
3
Energy produced by wind power today (Exajoules (EJ))5Peters et al, "Key indicators to track current progress and future ambition of the Paris Agreement", Nature Climate ChangeEnergy produced by solar power today (Exajoules (EJ))5Peters et al
4
Energy produced by wind in 2050 (EJ)20Peters et alEnergy produced by solar in 2050 (EJ)25Peters et al
5
Average annual energy produced by wind 2020-2050 (EJ)13calcAssume that this figure is the average of energy produced today and in 2050Average annual energy produced by solar 2020-2050 (EJ)12.5calc
6
Total energy produced by wind 2020-2050 (EJ)375calcTotal energy produced by solar 2020-2050 (EJ)375calc
7
8
Total energy produced by wind and solar until 2050 (EJ)750calc
9
Exajoule to Terawatt hour (TWh) conversion factor277.777
10
Total energy produced by wind and solar until 2050 (TWh)208,333calc
11
12
Stage 2: Emissions averted by wind and solar energy produced, 2020-2050 SourceNotes
13
Coal produced energy averted (TWh)104,166Simplifying assumption: energy produced by solar and wind displaces 50% gas power and 50% coal power1. Currently, natural gas produces 22.9% of global electricity, and coal produces 39.3%. Natural gas is producing a growing share, hence the 50/50 split for the next 30 yrs. (IEA key world energy stats, p30) 2. Renewables could also displace other low carbon sources
14
Coal power emissions factor (megatonnes of CO2e per TWh) 0.82IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change: Working Group III: p. 13351 megatonne = 1 million tonnes
15
Coal emissions averted (Megatonnes CO2e)85,416calc
16
Coal emissions averted (Gigatonnes (Gt) CO2e)85.42calc1 gigatonne = 1,000 megatonnes
17
18
Gas produced energy averted104,166
19
Gas power emissions factor (megatonnes of CO2e per TWh) 0.49IPCC, Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change: p. 1335
20
Gas emissions averted (Megatonnes CO2e)51,042calc
21
Gas emissions averted (Gt CO2e)51.04calc1 gigatonne = 1,000 megatonnes
22
23
Total emissions averted by wind and solar power, 2020-2050 (GtCO2e)136.46
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100