The PAC Project - Paris Agreement Compatible Scenarios for Energy Infrastructure

The PAC Project is an RGI-led project aiming to provide a platform for greater involvement of civil society in energy system planning, unite stakeholders around the need for high-RES energy scenarios and produce a Paris Agreement-compatible scenario for European energy infrastructure to guide planning towards a renewables-based energy system.

In its first phase, the PAC project – “Paris Agreement Compatible Scenarios for Energy Infrastructure”– has been established to develop a future energy scenario for Europe which is compatible with the Paris Agreement. The scenario, developed by civil society, shall guide European energy infrastructure planning and help to ensure that we are planning and building the infrastructure necessary for a future low carbon, renewables-based energy system.

The PAC Scenario was guided by three goals:

•    100% renewables in Europe by 2040 in all sectors
•    A 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030
•    Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040

In addition to this, the first phase of the PAC project brought together stakeholders and experts who usually do not interact with each other and established a close exchange with ENTSOs on the topic of the TYNDP scenarios. As an output, RGI published a Request to Adapt European Energy Planning Scenarios.

In its second phase, the PAC project focuses on investigating the technical, political and societal framework conditions that must be established in order to implement an ambitious and rapid energy system decarbonisation. This energy transition must: increase the share of renewables; achieve high level of energy security; and, enable environmental compatibility, competitiveness and social fairness.

The PAC project is also a capacity building opportunity for stakeholders who wish to expand their knowledge of developing and modelling energy scenarios. The second phase of PAC will continue to facilitate discussions on pathways to reaching the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target between stakeholders who usually do not associate with each other.

The PAC consortium consists of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe (+170 NGO members across Europe), European Environmental Bureau (EEB) (+170 NGO members across Europe), Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI) (15 NGO and 13 Transmission System Operator members) and REN21 (+80 members with an international focus from civil society, academia and research, governments, industry and intergovernmental associations).


The first phase of PAC

Concretely, the first phase of PAC has achieved its four main objectives:

1) Review the TYNDP scenarios and assumptions

2) Develop a Paris Agreement compatible energy scenario for Europe

3) Work with energy modellers to share knowledge and improve capacity

4) Raise global awareness about the importance of grids and collaborative scenario development


The second phase of PAC

Building on the work of the first phase, the second phase of the PAC project has the following objectives:

  1. Initiate a dialogue on the topic of ambitious energy scenarios with emitters, grid operators and the high-level expert groups. This includes clarifying to what extent and in which time frames these stakeholders are relying on electrification or increased use of hydrogen, other gases such as methane and other fuels.
  2. Continue modeller exchanges to support the development of models and modelling processes capable of reflecting the future complexity of the global energy system; continue the constructive relationship with the ENTSOs.
  3. Increase the capacity of NGOs to contribute to energy policy discussions regarding the path towards Paris Agreement compatible grid infrastructure based on data and assessment of opportunities and barriers. This includes strengthening exchanges with policymakers to encourage the creation of frameworks for the implementation of ambitious scenarios.
  4. Expanding exchanges with international institutions, increasing their capacity to drive the achievement of the Paris climate targets at the global level forward.
  5. Disseminate the findings generated in the above-mentioned dialogues to various key stakeholders (grid planning, policy makers, international community). In particular, the PAC project aims to elevate findings on how key players in the European energy system (large consumers, grid operators, institutions) plan to achieve at least the 55% target by 2030 and information on the influence of citizens on scenario development and infrastructure planning.

This page aims to give an overview of core activities of the project. For more extensive information on the project, its background, TYNDP review process and more, please visit the PAC website.


Learn more about the PAC project

Contact

Dr. Andrzej Ceglarz
Director - Energy Systems

Load more
t: +49 30 233211014
andrzej[at]renewables-grid.eu

Léa Hayez
Manager - Energy Systems

Load more
t: +49 30 2332 11032
lea[at]renewables-grid.eu

RGI gratefully acknowledges the EU LIFE funding support:

EU LIFE funding support Logo

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the LIFE Programme. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.