A five-step beginner's guide to the energy transition

The guide argues that a successful energy transition must balance decarbonization with energy security and access, particularly for the 800 million people without electricity. It highlights the urgency of the 'carbon budget', noting that at current emission levels, the budget to stay within 1.5°C could be depleted in 10-17 years. The text emphasizes that while power generation (38%) and light road transport (13%) are primary focuses, 47% of energy-related CO2 emissions come from 'hard to abate' sectors like heavy trucking, iron, steel, cement, shipping, and aviation. Proposed solutions include increasing energy efficiency (as 67% of primary energy is currently lost), developing low-carbon alternatives, and utilizing carbon capture and storage (CCS) or nature-based solutions. Finally, it advocates for a multistakeholder approach involving governments, businesses, and international organizations to develop viable regional and sectoral solutions.

• A successful energy transition must address more than just decarbonization; it must balance the 'energy triangle' by providing energy security and access alongside environmental sustainability to support economic growth, especially for the more than 800 million people, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, who lack electricity.
• The timeframe for the energy transition is critically short based on the 'carbon budget' concept. To limit global warming to 1.5°C, the world has a maximum budget of 2,600-2,900 GtCO2, of which 2,200 GtCO2 has already been used. At current annual emissions of approximately 42 GtCO2, the remaining budget could be exhausted in 10-17 years.

APA

Valkhof, B. (2020). A five-step beginner's guide to the energy transition. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-beginners-guide-to-the-energy-transition/

Chicago

Valkhof, Bart. A five-step beginner's guide to the energy transition. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-beginners-guide-to-the-energy-transition/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Valkhof |first1=Bart |title=A five-step beginner's guide to the energy transition |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=16 July 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-beginners-guide-to-the-energy-transition/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{valkhof2020fivestep, author = {Valkhof, Bart}, title = {{A five-step beginner's guide to the energy transition}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/a-beginners-guide-to-the-energy-transition/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }