Knowledge Tree
deep decarbonization
Also known as: deep decarbonization strategies, deep decarbonization scenarios, deep decarbonization policies, deep decarbonization pathways, deep decarbonization technologies
Facts (37)
Sources
Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep ... - Nature nature.com Jun 17, 2021 16 facts
claimDeep decarbonization targets shift cost structures toward upfront capital expenditures and away from fuel costs, driving incremental policy costs beyond reference expenditures without CO2 policy, particularly in scenarios with very high shares of renewables and energy storage.
claimThe analysis focuses on the deep decarbonization end point using a static optimization framework, which abstracts from the transition path.
claimThe end-use model scenario for deep decarbonization assumes a federal CO2 pricing of $50/t-CO2 across all sectors and regions starting in 2020, which escalates at a discount rate of seven percent per year.
claimThe analysis focuses on scenarios for deep decarbonization of the United States electric sector.
measurementAn electric sector with Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) deployment can achieve almost 20% more CO2 reductions relative to 2005 levels compared to an all-renewable system for the same expenditure, according to the study 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization strategies'.
claimModeling teams and resource planners should incorporate Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), Direct Air Capture (DAC), and other Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) options into their technology choice sets when modeling deep decarbonization and net-zero targets.
claimAdding carbon removal technologies to a mix of low-carbon generation technologies lowers the overall costs of deep decarbonization in the electric sector.
claimPower sector decarbonization is considered an important pillar of deep decarbonization for energy systems and the economy through electrification and electricity-derived fuels.
referenceThe article 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization of the electric power sector' was authored by J.E.T. Bistline and G.J. Blanford and published in Nature Communications in 2021 as volume 12, article 3732.
measurementIn the study 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization strategies', Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) deployment saturates at 110% CO2 reductions (-243 Mt-CO2/year) due to increasing marginal biomass feedstock costs, at which point Direct Air Capture (DAC) becomes the least-cost Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technology.
claimPower sector decarbonization is considered a critical pillar for the deep decarbonization of energy systems and the broader economy through electrification and electricity-derived fuels.
referenceThe analysis in the Nature article 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization' is based on scenarios conducted in EPRI’s US REGEN model, which features an electric sector capacity planning and dispatch model linked to an end-use model with technological, temporal, and spatial detail.
claimThe study titled 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization' investigates the role of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies on power sector outcomes under deep decarbonization scenarios for the United States.
referenceSepulveda et al. (2018) published 'The role of firm low-carbon electricity resources in deep decarbonization of power generation' in Joule, which examines the necessity of firm low-carbon electricity resources for achieving deep decarbonization in power generation.
referenceThe article 'High-capture-rate carbon capture and storage enables cost-effective decarbonization of Europe’s power sector' (2026) cites the article 'Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization of the electric power sector' (2021).
claimCarbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies could be part of a least-cost decarbonization strategy under a range of deep decarbonization scenarios, though the specific mix of technologies deployed is sensitive to cost assumptions and biomass resource availability.
A Critical Disconnect: Relying on Nuclear Energy in ... energypolicy.columbia.edu Jul 6, 2023 5 facts
perspectiveNuclear energy is frequently excluded from climate finance taxonomies or treated with ambiguity, despite its potential role in deep decarbonization of the global economy.
perspectiveDespite the potential role of nuclear energy in deep decarbonization, it is frequently excluded from climate finance taxonomies or treated with ambiguity, leading to wide variation in whether nuclear energy is considered green and sustainable across different regions and institutions.
claimThe International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated in a 2021 study that nuclear power's contribution to the global energy supply must double by mid-century to achieve deep decarbonization.
claimThere is a disconnect between modeled pathways for deep decarbonization of the global energy system that include nuclear energy and the common exclusion of nuclear energy from climate finance taxonomies.
measurementTo achieve deep decarbonization, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated the nuclear sector requires an average annual investment of $90 billion from 2021 to 2030, $94 billion from 2031 to 2040, and $80 billion from 2041 to 2050.
The Power of Change: Innovation for Development and Deployment ... nationalacademies.org 4 facts
claimMore than half of the 15 nations analyzed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) would need to supply a substantial amount of their electricity from fossil fuels using Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to achieve deep decarbonization.
referenceThe Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) have conducted an ongoing analysis of deep decarbonization pathways for 15 nations: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
claimThe Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project analysis shows that deep decarbonization could be achieved through aggressive additions of solar, wind, nuclear, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) capacity in various combinations, alongside a rapid acceleration in energy-efficiency gains.
claimCurrent policies and approaches in the United States and internationally are unlikely to be sufficient to close the gap between planned nuclear power growth and the growth required for deep decarbonization.
Congressional testimony of Bob Perciasepe on advanced nuclear ... c2es.org Jun 4, 2019 4 facts
claimIncreasing energy efficiency is a key strategy for achieving deep decarbonization because it reduces costs for consumers and lowers the total amount of power generation capacity required.
referencePathways to deep decarbonization generally focus on three activities: (1) end-use fuel switching to electric sources, (2) decarbonization of the electric power sector, and (3) increasing deployment of energy efficiency.
claimDeep decarbonization policies are expected to potentially double electric power generation by 2050 due to increased end-use electrification, including electric vehicles, heat pumps, and industrial electric boilers.
perspectiveBob Perciasepe argues that the U.S. needs both nuclear and renewable energy sources, rather than renewables attempting to replace nuclear power for decades, to achieve deep decarbonization of the power sector.
Clean Energy Solutions Must Include Nuclear | ClearPath clearpath.org 3 facts
claimRelying solely on energy storage to enable a renewables-only strategy for deep decarbonization is risky and potentially costly.
claimNew nuclear reactor designs have the potential to contribute to deep decarbonization in the power sector, as well as in industrial facilities such as refineries and chemical plants.
claimNew nuclear reactor designs have the potential to contribute to deep decarbonization in the power sector, as well as in industrial facilities such as refineries and chemical plants.
Role of Advanced Nuclear Energy in Deep Decarbonization onlocationinc.com Oct 20, 2021 2 facts
claimOnLocation published a paper for the Nuclear Innovation Alliance titled 'Role of Advanced Nuclear Energy in Deep Decarbonization' which argues that energy modelers should reassess how nuclear technologies are represented in energy system models.
perspectiveThe policy community and energy-economic modelers should reassess how nuclear technologies are represented for policy analysis and decision-making, particularly in deep decarbonization scenarios.
Can Carbon Capture Advance The Race Toward Decarbonized ... kapsarc.org Apr 16, 2025 1 fact
claimCarbon capture technologies have the potential to contribute to deep decarbonization strategies.
Global perspectives on energy technology assessment and ... link.springer.com Oct 30, 2025 1 fact
referenceGeels FW, Sovacool BK, Schwanen T, and Sorrell S published 'Sociotechnical transitions for deep decarbonization' in Science in 2017.
Chapter: 5 Beyond Electricity: Nuclear Power's Potential to Play a ... nationalacademies.org 1 fact
claimHydrogen production provides the most credible non-electric revenue stream for nuclear reactors because hydrogen is likely to have value across the industrial, power, and transportation sectors for deep decarbonization.