The electrification of end-use consumption

To combat global warming, which causes increasingly frequent extreme weather events, fossil fuels (like coal, oil, natural gas) must be rapidly replaced with renewable energy sources (like wind, sun, water, terrestrial heat) which do not produce CO2. The electrification of consumption with energy from renewable sources is the best solution to create a clean, reliable and affordable energy system and is already available today, thanks to a combination of recent technological advances and cost reductions. Lower prices, higher efficiency According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) of solar and wind technologies have continued to fall for a decade and are now significantly lower than conventional fossil fuel costs. This trend has remained unchanged even over the past year, despite the raw materials crisis following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The use of electricity as an energy carrier also increases efficiency. Electric vehicles, for example, are three to five times more efficient than those with an internal combustion engine. In the residential-building sector, efficiency can increase with the use of heat pumps, which use four times less energy than oil or gas boilers. In industry, energy intensity decreases thanks to the electrification of processes and with the introduction of storage systems such as green hydrogen, which is also produced from renewable sources. Electricity also allows the digitalization of energy uses through the integration of intelligent technologies in order to manage the grids and balance the system using storage systems, optimizing energy consumption and reducing waste. The benefits extend to everyone: citizens become more aware of their energy consumption thanks to digital devices that make their energy bills more transparent and improve customer service, while the electricity system evolves towards higher efficiency standards. Breathing better air Air pollution is one of the main environmental and health problems in densely urbanized areas. However, switching to electricity also improves air quality, since it cuts down on emissions of pollutants such as fine particles, mainly caused by fossil fuels that are burned to power cars and to heat buildings. A truly smart city is a place where electric vehicles circulate, buildings are equipped with solar panels, the heating of houses is powered by heat pumps, electricity is used to cook and to heat water, and lighting systems are adjusted by sensors according to the presence or absence of people in a room. Electrification boosts renewable energy communities and the circular economy The electrification of consumption is the best way to promote the development of renewable energy communities: associations made up of citizens, businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, and public administrations, which independently produce and manage green energy at affordable rates, thanks to shared renewable energy systems that feed the energy produced directly into the electricity grid and significantly reduce CO2 emissions and energy waste. Electrification from renewable sources also plays an essential role in promoting and supporting the circular economy. The components of e-vehicle batteries, storage systems, solar panels, transformers, the transmission networks themselves and all the equipment used can be collected and reused, promoting a virtuous circle that transforms waste into new raw materials.

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Electrification, the best option

Electrification, the best option

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