How to stop climate change

Build 1000 x 1000 km solar and wind power
About half the size of Algeria but spread over all continents. 200 TWp in total. We already have 3 TWp PV and 1.3 TWp wind in 2026 with exponential growth driven by China.
Connect the world with a supergrid
Wind and sun are always available somewhere. Local variability can be smoothened by a large network of power lines, supplemented by battery and hydrogen storage. Grids are underrated though often being the cheapest solution. Corridor finding becomes complex in times of geopolitical tensions. But feasable in some areas at least.
Leave coal, gas and oil in the ground
The biggest challenge. Investors and governments fight hard to protect short-term profits. Renewables must beat fossil fuels on competitiveness. Policy can speed up that process with decent carbon taxes and by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks for large-scale renewable energy investments.
Wind and sun are not always available in one specific place. But there could be a solution: Low loss power grids over long distances. Europe could get solar power in the morning from Asia, at noon from the Sahara, in the evening from the Americas. In this visionary illustration PV and wind symbols have been placed at a few locations with a high potential. Distrubution and paths have yet to be worked out but it is urgent to get on with first moves. Map by OSM.

It could be as simple as this. Substitute fossil fuels with low carbon energy.
But the dimension of the a global energy transition is rarely debated. We must speed up rapidly, dramatically with the installations. It is very unlikely that we get there by 2040. And even that would probably be too late.
The good news: The technology is available and affordfable today, in contrast to many other approaches. Fossil fuels account for about 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions. The mass deployment of wind power, PV and a supergrid in combination with some storage technique seem to be the last chance to avoid the irreversible impacts of a global warming. This will not stop the process but eventually slow it down. And it has a positive side-effect: Wind, sun and also hydro energy will last forever. This site contains some background and estimations about quantities and magnitudes of a global energy transition.

2028

The countdown [countdown] is running: If emissions do not drop, the carbon budget for 1.5°C will be exhausted after 2028 [sr15]:96. Global warming could become irreversible and uncontrollable. Even if it was possible to achieve negative emissions in the future, 1.5°C must not be exceeded at any time to avoid the loss of ecosystems. The consequence: Radical emission cuts are required immediately. We are on the brink.

Slowing down is not enough if you rush towards the cliff !

Leave it in the ground !

Coal, oil and gas exploiters have never paid for the damage they cause. It's time to start with high carbon pricing above 200$/t per CO2 equivalent. Not many other regulations are required. With carbon tax or a tight concept of carbon certificates, large scale investments into renewable energies will start all by themselves. Wind and solar already outbeat coal, oil and gas in hours where they are available. But still, grids and storage is needed for a 24/7 supply. This needs a little boost. Competitiveness is the key to a global energy transition. The amount of emission certificates must be limited to the carbon budget for 1,5° for all time with no exeption and include all sectors globally. This would be more diffult to manage than a simple carbon tax. Renewable energy needs fair market conditions, power net access and international cooperation. The transition to 100% renewable energy would probably be cheaper than the trillions yet to spend on oil, gas and coal. Once installed, operation costs for wind and solar are low - a long term benefit for society.

PV is cheap

0.0169 US$ per KWh (already 2019 for utility scale in the desert) is much less than any fossil fuel. And the price is dropping. In remote areas, there is much space for solar PV and wind plants. Installation is possible without any resitance by local residents and the land is cheap.

Source: Citi GPS: Energy Darwinism II (p.82, estimation of stranded assets by 2050)

Coming to a solution

... and once installed, there is no ecological need to save energy anymore

*1 = 1,6 % per 1000 km loss at higest voltage level 1100 KV overhead. Submarine / underground cables use less voltage resulting in higher losses.
*2 = estimation by Chinese GEIDCO for 78% renewable energy

Who hesitates pays more

Fossil reserves are limited. A transition to renewable energy must happen sooner or later. These investments cannot be avoided. The only question is when. Companies involved in coal, gas and oil exploitation are interested to slow down the process. They want their gains for a few more years. The money spent on fossil fuel is lost to the public. So even without climate change it would be wise to push forward a global energy transition.
It is illusionary to hope for any change of habits. The world population wants energy. The global energy demand increases by 2 - 3 % per year. The only possible answer is a massive installation of wind and solar power in remote areas. Renewables can compete already now.

Tasks

A complete world trasition to renewables is neccessary within 15-20 years

Can a change in lifestyle be the solution?

The debate about climate change is often dominated by appeals to avoid air travel, meat and plastic. Awareness is essential, much can be avoided. But even if a part of the world's wealthy population change their habits, this would only reduce global emissions by a few percent. There is no alternative to replace fossil energy with wind, solar and hydro power.

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