EPRI confirms full portfolio of technologies key to curbing CO2, meeting demand growth and limiting cost Increases

EPRI confirms full portfolio of technologies key to curbing CO2, meeting demand growth and limiting cost increases

4 Aug 2009

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has released analyses that show a full portfolio of electricity sector technologies could simultaneously address the challenge of growing load demand while meeting carbon constraints and limiting increases in the cost of electricity.

The research shows that the sector could potentially reduce annual CO2 emissions in 2030 by 41 per cent relative to 2005 emissions levels, but that it will require sustained research, development and demonstration and aggressive deployment of the full technology portfolio.

The full portfolio includes coal-fired generation with carbon capture and storage, renewable resources, and nuclear generation, as well as significant efficiency improvements throughout the electricity production and delivery system and reduced consumption through end-use efficiency.

The full portfolio requires deployment of advanced technologies by 2030 comparable to those assumed in the Prism analysis; an eight percent reduction in electricity consumption through improved end-use efficiency; 45 new nuclear units; new renewables generation equivalent to four-fold increase in current wind and solar generation capacity; and, 100 million plug-in electric vehicles.

An increase in the use of decarbonized electricity through electro-technologies present opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions in applications such as heat pumps, water heaters, ovens, induction melting and furnaces.

‘Our analyses clearly show the imperative for the electricity sector to move aggressively to deploy a full portfolio of technologies that will lead to low-carbon energy future while limiting costs to the nation’s economy,’ said Steve Specker, EPRI president and CEO.

The results indicate that the full portfolio could reduce the cost to the U.S. economy of reducing emissions by more than $1tn by 2050. Deployment of the full portfolio could result in an 80 per cent increase in the real wholesale cost of electricity by 2050 relative to current costs, compared with a projected increase of more than 210 per cent with a limited portfolio.

The costs would represent an average of about $16,000 per household in the full portfolio scenario compared to $28,400 in a limited portfolio that excludes new nuclear generation or carbon capture and storage.

The Electric Power Research Institute conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity.

Tags: carbon capture, Features: energy efficiency, solar, wind