The European Union has set common targets for reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This will be partly achieved by the expansion of renewable energy technologies all over the continent. Nevertheless, differences between the individual countries due to their geography, economy, and national policies will persist. Using a linear programming optimization model for capacity expansion and unit commitment, we obtain the cost-minimal design of the European power system until 2050. We also assess the consequences of the power system decarbonization on total emissions, value added, and job creation using a Multi-Regional Input-Output analysis. We then analyze the disparities in the spatial distribution of the new power plants and their benefits, to identify the possible winners and losers of the decarbonization process.     «

The European Union has set common targets for reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This will be partly achieved by the expansion of renewable energy technologies all over the continent. Nevertheless, differences between the individual countries due to their geography, economy, and national policies will persist. Using a linear programming optimization model for capacity expansion and unit commitment, we obtain the cost-minimal design of the European power system until 2050. W...     »