Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector

This research paper introduces a qualitative assessment framework designed to help policy makers analyze their country's progress in decarbonizing the electricity sector. It focuses on the technical and regulatory challenges associated with integrating variable renewable energy sources (vRES), such as wind and solar, and emphasizes that power sector transformation occurs in phases requiring timely planning and country-specific regulatory frameworks.

• The energy sector is a primary driver of climate change, with approximately two thirds of global greenhouse gases and 90% of carbon dioxide emissions originating from energy production and use. Decarbonizing the power sector by phasing out unabated fossil-based generation and accelerating low-carbon technologies is essential to meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature rise to well below 2°C, and ideally 1.5°C.
• The integration of large-scale variable renewable energy sources (vRES), specifically wind and solar, presents fundamental challenges to the operation and governance of power systems because these sources possess different features than conventional energy sources.
• Power sector transformation is a phased process where specific challenges emerge at certain points regardless of a country's socio-economic or geographic characteristics, although these characteristics can influence how those challenges affect vRES integration.
• Successful transition requires the identification of technical, policy, and market design measures that are embedded within a country-specific regulatory framework. Because regulatory environments are unique and subject to political negotiation, recommendations are not universally applicable, and policy makers are encouraged to use peer-learning from other countries selectively.

APA

NewClimate Institute (2019). Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/transition-towards-a-decarbonised-electricity-sector

Chicago

NewClimate Institute. Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector. 2019. http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/transition-towards-a-decarbonised-electricity-sector.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NewClimate Institute |title=Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector |date=2 October 2019 |url=http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/transition-towards-a-decarbonised-electricity-sector |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{newclimateinstitute2019transition, author = {{NewClimate Institute}}, title = {{Transition towards a decarbonised electricity sector}}, institution = {NewClimate Institute}, year = {2019}, month = oct, url = {http://www.newclimate.org/resources/publications/transition-towards-a-decarbonised-electricity-sector}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }