Energetic Transition: the 'negawatt 2011' scenario" proposes an ambitious but realistic path

by Claire Iochum on 21 octobre 2011 / 287 visites

On September 29th, the negaWatt association unveiled its ’negaWatt 2011’ scenario, in which they deliver an energy scenario for France up to year 2050.

In this forward-looking exercise, negaWatt forecasts a shift towards an autonomous and democratic energy, the creation of hundreds of thousands of sustainable jobs, and give back to the territories and their actors a central part in the energy mix. They have also scheduled a possible date for the phase-out of nuclear power. This scenario is a real roadmap that get France to enter a new dynamic of innovation and participation to the global efforts to tackle climate change. Let us not forget that this voluntary work remains to date France’s only energetic forward-looking tool.

The 10 key points of the ’negaWatt 2011’ scenario :

A voluntary policy in support of energy sobriety and efficiency, that would lead to a decrease of 65% in primary energy demand by 2050, compared to the 2010 situation : stepping into the ’negaWatt breach’ would allow us to get 2/3 of the way.
Despite this policy, maintaining a high level of energy services to satisfy the needs for heating, mobility and specific electricity.
Using in priority renewable energy that accounts for 91% of our energy resources in 2050.
A coordinated management of gas, electricity and heating networks, allowing to satisfy the needs at any time and to ensure the power balance.
Anticipating the end of ’fossil fuels’ as peaks in oil and gas are approaching, by limiting their use to petrochemicals and industrial raw materials, as well as to some very specific uses such as industry or aviation.
Compared to 2010, dividing CO2 emissions by 2 by 2030 and by 16 by 2050.
An almost entirely carbon-free French energy system, in spite of a well-managed and coherent phase out of nuclear power in 2033 - that is to say within 22 years.
An accumulation of C02 emissions for the 2011-2050 period that is in accordance, respecting the notion of global equity as regards to France’s demographic weight, with the objective of limiting the average temperature increase on Earth to below 2°C by 2100.
About land use and agriculture, the energy scenario is balanced although the production units have been relocated and biomass is very often resorted to for the production of materials and energy in accordance with the ’Afterres 2050’ scenario from Solagro, an associative research office.
A France that progresses towards energy autonomy and democracy, creating hundreds of thousands of sustainable jobs, giving back to the territories and their actors a central part in the energy mix