With an increasing expected energy demand and current dominance of coal electrification, India plays a major role in global carbon policies and the future low-carbon transformation. This paper explores three energy pathways for India until 2050 by applying the linear, cost-minimizing, global energy system model (GENeSYS-MOD). The benchmark scenario “limited emissions only” (LEO) is based on ambitious targets set out by the Paris Agreement. A more conservative “business as usual” (BAU) scenario is sketched out along the lines of the New Policies scenario from the International Energy Agency (IEA). On the more ambitious side, we explore the potential implications of supplying the Indian economy entirely with renewable energies with the “100% renewable energy sources” (100% RES) scenario. Overall, our results suggest that a transformation process towards a low-carbon energy system in the power, heat, and transportation sectors until 2050 is technically feasible. Solar power is likely to establish itself as the key energy source by 2050 in all scenarios, given the model’s underlying emission limits and technical parameters. The paper concludes with an analysis of potential social, economic and political barriers to be overcome for the needed Indian low-carbon transformation.

This paper provides the background, methodology and validation for constructing a representation of the European high-voltage grid (AC lines from 220 to 750 kV and all DC lines) based on OpenStreetMap data. Grid components include commissioned substations, transmission lines and cables, transformers, and converters as well as technical parameters based on standard types. The data is provided as easy-to-access comma-separated values files which makes it suitable for model-independent, large-scale electricity and energy system modelling. For further ease-of-use, an interactive map is included to enable visual inspection. To assess the data quality, this paper compares the dataset with official statistics and representative model runs using PyPSA-Eur based on different electricity grid representations. The dataset and workflow are provided as part of PyPSA-Eur, an open-source, sector-coupled optimisation model of the European energy system. By integrating with the codebase for initiatives such as PyPSA-Earth, the benefits of this work of this work extend to the global context. The dataset is published under the Open Data Commons Open Database (ODbL 1.0) licence.

The European Union aims to achieve climate-neutrality by 2050, with interim 2030 targets including 55% greenhouse gas emissions reduction compared to 1990 levels, 10 Mt p.a. of a domestic green hydrogen production, and 50 Mt p.a. of domestic CO ₂ injection capacity. To support these targets, Projects of Common and Mutual Interest (PCI-PMI) — large infrastructure projects for electricity, hydrogen and CO ₂ transport, and storage — have been identified by the European Commission. This study focuses on PCI-PMI projects related to hydrogen and carbon value chains, assessing their long-term system value and the impact of pipeline delays and shifting policy targets using the sector-coupled energy system model PyPSA-Eur. Our study shows that PCI-PMI projects enable a more cost-effective transition to a net-zero energy system compared to scenarios without any pipeline expansion. Hydrogen pipelines help distribute affordable green hydrogen from renewable-rich regions in the north and southwest to high-demand areas in central Europe, while CO ₂ pipelines link major industrial emitters with offshore storage sites. Although these projects are not essential in 2030, they begin to significantly reduce annual system costs by more than €26 billion from 2040 onward. Delaying implementation beyond 2040 could increase system costs by up to €24.2 billion per year, depending on the extent of additional infrastructure development. Moreover, our results show that PCI-PMI projects reduce the need for excess wind and solar capacity and lower reliance on individual CO ₂ removal technologies, such as Direct Air Capture, by 13 to 136 Mt annually, depending on the build-out scenario.

This paper provides the background, methodology and validation for constructing a representation of the European high-voltage grid, including and above 200 kV, based on public data provided by OpenStreetMap. The model-independent grid dataset is published under the Open Data Commons Open Database (ODbL 1.0) licence and can be used for large-scale electricity as well as energy system modelling. The dataset and workflow are provided as part of PyPSA-Eur -- an open-source, sector-coupled optimisation model of the European energy system. By integrating with the codebase for initiatives such as PyPSA-Earth, the value of open and maintainable high-voltage grid data extends to the global context. By accessing the latest data through the the Overpass turbo API, the dataset can be easily reconstructed and updated within minutes. To assess the data quality, this paper further compares the dataset with official statistics and representative model runs using PyPSA-Eur based on different electricity grid representations.