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United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has been an early player in the energy transition, being among the first countries to set a net zero target by 2050 and to put in place carbon budgets. UK emissions have already fallen by around 50% since 1990, indicating a strong start. Looking ahead, an important pillar of the energy transition will be decarbonising the power sector through sizeable new investments in renewables and nuclear while also focusing on new technologies such as CCUS, hydrogen and small modular reactors. As a historic oil and gas producer, the UK is looking to address declining North Sea production…
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Denmark
…in decarbonisation and in 2022 the government announced a net zero by 2045 target, aiming at 110% emissions reductions by 2050. Denmark’s technology leadership is important in the areas of offshore wind, biomethane and district heating. The government has expanded these categories to adopt a strategic focus on carbon capture and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen. The government has a robust energy and climate governance under the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities and ‘the year wheel’ of Climate Act of 2020 ensures annual policy actions and funding. Among IEA countries, Denmark has the highest share of wind electricity…
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China
China’s growing energy needs are increasingly met by renewables, natural gas and electricity. The scale of China’s future electricity demand and the challenge of decarbonising the power supply help explain why global investment in electricity overtook that of oil and gas for the first time in 2016, and why electricity security is moving firmly up the policy agenda. That said, cost reductions for renewables are not sufficient on their own to secure efficient decarbonisation or reliable supply.
Between 2019 and 2024, China will account for 40% of global renewable capacity expansion, driven by improved system integration, lower curtailment…- Overview
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Korea
…energy use among IEA countries. Korea aims to leverage the fourth industrial revolution for its energy transition and to foster green growth by means of low-carbon technologies and clean energy. Due to Korea’s high share of coal-fired power generation, the carbon intensity of its electricity mix is above the IEA average. Korea’s private sector has a high capacity for technology innovation and its population has shown an almost unparalleled openness toward digitalisation. As a result, Korea’s energy transition is closely linked to efforts to spur investments in energy storage systems, smart grids and intelligent transport…
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Japan
…economic efficiency, environmental sustainability and safety. Achieving the aim of carbon-neutrality by 2050 will require substantially accelerating the deployment of low-carbon technologies by 2030, to address regulatory and institutional barriers and further enhance competition in energy markets. It will also be important to develop different decarbonisation scenarios and to prepare for the possibility that certain low-carbon technologies, such as nuclear, might not expand as quickly as hoped. Stronger reliance on market-based instruments, such as carbon pricing, could be one policy option for Japan to cost-effectively reduce emissions, foster innovation and further increase the country’s…
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Czechia
Czechia has decoupled economic growth from energy consumption since 2009, yet the country’s energy and carbon intensity remain above the IEA average, which highlights the need to make energy efficiency the “first principle” of energy policy. Fossil fuels are still essential building blocks of the energy mix with coal as the single largest fuel for total energy supply and electricity generation. The country is committed to phase-out coal by 2033 and is putting in place a framework for an inclusive transition. Nuclear is the second largest electricity source and the government plans to build new nuclear units at…
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Latvia
Latvia is undertaking its energy transition with some promising results to date, with the goal to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions (without land use, land-use change and forestry) by 65% from 1990 levels by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050. It has made inroads on the share of renewable energy in its fuel mix, with sizeable shares of bioenergy and hydropower.
Renewable energy sources dominate its electricity mix, in particular, accounting for around three-quarters of domestic generation. Other sectors, notably transport and buildings, continue to consume large amounts of energy and rely on dated infrastructure that…- Overview
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Canada
…emissions by 2050. Canada’s energy and economic profile presents both challenges and opportunities to achieving these targets given its profile as a major producer, consumer and exporter of energy. Energy production and use in Canada accounts for over 80% of the country’s GHG emissions, with oil and gas production alone accounting for around a quarter. Canada’s electricity system is already among the cleanest in the world, with heavy dominance of hydropower as well as an important role for nuclear. Canada has put in place several policy measures to achieve its climate targets, including a carbon pricing scheme.
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Estonia
Estonia has achieved a notable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions thanks mainly to lowering its reliance on electricity generation from domestic oil shale, an energy rich sedimentary rock. However, oil shale remains the main energy source and imported fossil fuels still plan a major role, especially in transport. Estonia’s forests, which historically offset significant greenhouse gas emissions, have become a net emissions source. Estonia is aiming to accelerate its clean energy transition with a target to cover 100% of annual electricity demand with renewables by 2030 as part of a larger package to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It…
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The Netherlands
The Netherlands aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and numerous measures have been introduced to support achievement of this goal. A competitive auctions process awards subsidies to renewables, hydrogen and carbon capture, based on avoided CO2 emissions. An offshore wind roadmap is driving rapid deployment and aims for 11.5 GW of capacity by 2030, while strong innovation programmes support deployment of key decarbonisation technologies. Electricity from solar has experienced an impressive growth, with the Netherlands ranking among the top countries in the world for installed PV capacity per capita. The Netherlands will need to closely monitor…
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