Preface

The electrification of final energy uses is one of the key ingredients for any roadmap to a low-carbon energy system. In the EU, the European Commission has confirmed the relevance of electrification multiple times and proposed a 30% target to be achieved in 2030. Leveraging electrification makes sense as it allows, inter alia, to increase the efficient integration of several renewable energy sources that are getting cheaper, such as solar PV and wind. However, the use of electricity has historically grown slowly over time, at least in relative terms. Several challenges are clearly at play and must be overcome. Without the intention of being exhaustive, we argue that for electrification to succeed, we need first low electricity prices relative to those of other fuels. Second, electrification requires a reliable delivery infrastructure that can supply the increasingly electrified loads. Third, electrification calls for an accelerated substitution of appliances and assets, including electric vehicles, by millions of consumers. Finally, all this must be achieved without imposing undue burdens on consumers, in particular on those who are less well-off. This is a tall order, suggesting how ambitious certain energy and climate targets are, and how comprehensive and integrated energy and climate policies should be.