This book pursues the fundamental idea of using renewable energies in a rational and economic way in order to develop a climate-friendly electricity supply. As the most cost efficient solution, an electricity network for the whole of Europe and parts of Africa and Asia must be found. The sources of renewable and partly decentralised electricity generation could be connected in a comprehensive power supply to meet the electricity needs of an entire region. Czisch examines different scenarios for a CO2 neutral electricity system under different political, technological and economic conditions for Europe and its closer surroundings. The aim is to find in each variation the economically optimal solution, whereby the supply area embraces approximately 1.1 billion inhabitants and an electricity consumption of roughly 4000 terrawatt-hours per annum (TWh/a).

Author Biography

Dr Gregor Czisch is a consultant specialising in energy supply at the firm Transnational Renewables Consulting. He has worked on various topics in the energy-related field and his work at the University of Kassel culminated in his PhD of which this book is the translated version. Parallel to this research, Dr Czisch worked as a consultant to the Scientific Advisory Council on Environmental Change and was invited as an expert to hearings in various ministries, parliaments, development organisations, commercial enterprises and utilities worldwide. He is one of 16 energy experts of the Energy Forum 2020 of the Hessian Ministry of Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Dr Czisch has worked on studies for The German Advisory Council on the Environment, and also for both the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ - German technical cooperation) and the Africa-EU Energy Partnership of the African Union Commission.