Climatic implications of a rapid wind/solar transition

TL;DR

This paper argues that a rapid global transition to renewable energy could eliminate fossil fuel emissions within 25 years, provide sufficient energy for all needs, and significantly mitigate climate change.

Contribution

It demonstrates the feasibility and climate benefits of a rapid, large-scale wind and solar energy transition using current technologies.

Findings

Carbon emissions could be terminated in roughly 25 years.

Global energy needs can be met and exceeded with renewable sources.

Transition could help limit global temperature rise to below 2°C.

Abstract

A transition to a fully global renewable energy infrastructure is potentially possible in no more than a few decades, even using current wind/solar technologies. We demonstrate that at its completion this transition would terminate anthropogenic carbon emissions to the atmosphere derived from energy consumption in roughly 25 years as well as double current global energy production. This result would provide all human energy needs worldwide and additional energy required for climate adaptation as well as carbon sequestration from the atmosphere to bring down the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration to safer levels. The implementation of this energy transition in the near future would maximize the probability for achieving a less than 2 deg C, with a potential 1.5 deg C limit, increase to global temperature over the pre-industrial level by 2100. Our best case scenario utilizes less than 3% of current annual global energy consumption per year with an annual reinvestment of 10% of its growing renewable capacity to make more of itself.