2050 No-regret Options and Technology Lock-ins

The present study (in the following referred to as study S4) takes a deeper look at the 2050 EU energy system. It builds upon a decarbonisation scenario developed in an earlier study of the METIS 2 project (study S61) which focusses on the EU electricity sector, and its interlinkage with the hydrogen and the heat sectors. While study S6 aimed for a cost-optimal dimensioning of the EU power system, the present study goes a step further and aims to derive more general conclusions. It sheds light on no-regret options towards the decarbonisation of the 2050 EU energy system, potential technology lock-in risks, and major drivers of uncertainty like system sensitivity to climate change and commodity prices. The analysis is complemented by an evaluation of the impact of an enhanced representation of hydrogen infrastructures and the associated constraints, as these may impact the entire interlinked EU energy system.