Knowledge sharing a key to sustainable net-zero energy mix of the future

Sharing (renewable energy know-how) is caring (for the world) has been the basic underlying message shared by the speakers of the OEEC’s first talk show that discussed the importance of collaboration for ensuring the sustainable energy mix of the future. However, the panellists emphasized the importance of keeping it real with the expectations for net-zero by 2050, and the global scale-up of renewable energies.

Moderated by Maarten Bouwhuis, the talk show featured Ruben Dijkstra, Director Offshore Wind at Eneco, Lars Eirik Nicolaisen, Deputy CEO and Senior-Partner at Rystad Energy, Tom Baur, Business Developer Blue Energy at POM West-Vlaanderen, Sjoerd Meijer, Board Member KIVI Offshore Technology/Business Unit Manager DEME Group, and Francisco Boshell an analyst for renewable energy technology and markets from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), who joined the panel online.

The session brought together representatives that discussed the future energy mix that will require all offshore energy industries – oil, gas, offshore wind, marine energy, floating solar – to work together to provide a balanced and consistent energy supply.

Speaking of combining different sources of renewable energy, Tom Baur pointed out that innovative technologies such as floating solar and wave energy are emerging rapidly and that the lessons learned from offshore wind will be incorporated in the process, as the marine energy industry approaches commercial maturity.

Baur said: “The commercial viability of marine energy sources is still a few years ahead of us. The whole curve is a little bit behind the offshore wind energy. In offshore wind energy, we talk about levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of around €50 per MWh, with the other ones a bit higher. The idea is to take advantage of the learning of the offshore wind energy, and to accelerate that process for the other types of energy converters”.

When asked about the estimate based on renewable energy capacity necessary to achieve net-zero by 2050 – currently installed and planned by mid-21st century – and will that be doable, Lars Eirik Nicolaisen gave a somewhat gloomy prediction by simply stating ‘No’.

However, he added: “It’s fascinating to see how the pendulum has swung in direction of society becoming a seemingly more ambitious in wanting to limit the global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, than well below 2 degrees, which used to be the mantra. Over the past two years, we’ve moved that narrative from 2 degrees C to 1.5.

“Therefore, the pendulum has swung a little bit too far. It’s not rational to build fabrication capacity at the pace of which 1.5 degrees C scenario calls for. I think there’s a massive call for us to ramp up activity, and we will probably do so, but we will probably fall short of making of limiting it to 1.5 degrees C”.

The panel seem to have agreed that the goal of limiting the global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is unattainable and that a more realistic scenario is 2 degrees Celsius as the ramp-up of the development of alternative energy sources is not happening fast enough.

IRENA’s Boschell mentioned the recent breakthroughs in the development of emerging innovative renewable energy sources, such as SIMEC Atlantis’ flagship tidal energy project MeyGen, or the accelerated plans for the deployment of floating solar industry, as well as the global rise of green hydrogen ambitions. He pointed out how all those developments combined contribute to the energy transition and the goal of net-zero by 2050.

“We have seen some interesting developments that are encouraging. All of those improvements are based on technology innovation, but also on international collaboration, which is the key especially to accelerate the deployment in emerging markets”, Boschell said.

This is most important for offshore wind, which is currently mostly focused on Europe, but that will not be the case in the future, according to Boschell.

“Big emerging markets for offshore wind will be centred in Asia Pacific, but also South Asia, and even in Latin America. We need to collaborate, transfer best practices and lessons learned to accelerate the deployment in those areas”, Boschell added.

The panellists noted the future energy mix requires way more renewable energy, suggesting also that we need to keep our expectations realistic, as the energy transition entails a lot more than simply adding renewable energy capacity.