Policy analysis of climate-neutral energy systems in Germany : implications of the REMod-D model (I)

In 2020, global phenomena such as unprecedented scale forest fires, storms, melting glaciers, and dramatic declines in northern polar glaciers are very likely to be caused by climate change. By the middle of this century, it is becoming clear that it is not enough for Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions to be cut by 80％ compared to 1990 levels. In December 2015, to meet the climate targets agreed in the Paris agreement, stricter cuts from Germany are required, limiting global temperature rises to an average of 2 ℃（better 1.5 ℃） compared to pre-industrial levels. With regard to the transition of Germany’s energy systems, this paper begins with a comprehensive model of the Germany power and thermal sector in future energy systems with a major contribution to renewable energy technologies. Based on REMod-D （Renewable Energy Model - Germany）, the basic structure is summarized briefly. Then, we introduce some of the simulation results by REMod-D models by Philip et al. （2020）. The aim is to assess the energy transition and the possibility of climate-neutral systems in Germany.