The U.S. power sector decarbonization: Investigating technology options with MARKAL nine-region model

Nadejda Victor, Christopher Nichols and Charles Zelek

Energy Economics, 2018, vol. 73, issue C, 410-425

Abstract: The U.S. economy decarbonization over the next 35 years requires a large transformation of the energy system. The main finding of this study is that it is technically feasible to achieve 80% greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction below the 2005 levels by 2050 through deployment of existing or near-commercially available technologies. GHG reductions are primarily achieved through high levels of electricity sector decarbonization, electrification of end uses, and exchange of the remaining end-uses to lower carbon fuels such as natural gas. However, deep decarbonization by 2050 triggers very high marginal CO2 reduction costs, unless significant cost reductions of zero and near-zero carbon technologies occur.

Keywords: MARKAL multi-regional model; CO2 emissions reduction policies; Power generation technologies; CCS; R&D (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q47 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:73:y:2018:i:c:p:410-425

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2018.03.021

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