Audoly, RichardVogt-Schilb, AdrienGuivarch, Celine2014-11-122014-11-122014-10https://hdl.handle.net/10986/20509This paper covers three policy-relevant aspects of the carbon content of electricity that are well established among integrated assessment models but under-discussed in the policy debate. First, climate stabilization at any level from 2 to 3°C requires electricity to be almost carbon-free by the end of the century. As such, the question for policy makers is not whether to decarbonize electricity but when to do it. Second, decarbonization of electricity is still possible and required if some of the key zero-carbon technologies -- such as nuclear power or carbon capture and storage -- turn out to be unavailable. Third, progressive decarbonization of electricity is part of every country's cost-effective means of contributing to climate stabilization. In addition, this paper provides cost-effective pathways of the carbon content of electricity -- computed from the results of AMPERE, a recent integrated assessment model comparison study. These pathways may be used to benchmark existing decarbonization targets, such as those set by the European Energy Roadmap or the Clean Power Plan in the United States, or inform new policies in other countries. The pathways can also be used to assess the desirable uptake rates of electrification technologies, such as electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, electric stoves and heat pumps, or industrial electric furnaces.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOAIRANNUAL GREENHOUSE GASANTHROPOGENIC GREENHOUSEANTHROPOGENIC GREENHOUSE GASAPPROACHATMOSPHEREATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATIONAVAILABILITYAVERAGE CARBON INTENSITYBIO-ENERGYBIOMASSCARCARBONCARBON CAPTURECARBON CONTENTCARBON DIOXIDECARBON ECONOMYCARBON EMISSIONCARBON EMISSIONSCARBON INTENSITYCARBON NEUTRALITYCARBON SEQUESTRATIONCARBON TECHNOLOGIESCLEAN ELECTRICITYCLEAN POWERCLEAN POWER PLANCLIMATECLIMATE CHANGECLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONCLIMATE POLICIESCLIMATE POLICYCLIMATIC CHANGECOCO2COALCONCENTRATION TARGETCUMULATIVE EMISSIONSDEMAND PEAKSDIFFUSIONDRIVINGELECTRIC CARSELECTRIC ENERGYELECTRIC GRIDELECTRIC VEHICLESELECTRICITYELECTRICITY GENERATIONELECTRICITY PRODUCTIONELECTRICITY SUPPLYELECTRIFICATIONEMISSIONEMISSION REDUCTIONSEMISSION TARGETSEMISSION-REDUCTIONEMISSIONSEMISSIONS CUTSEMISSIONS FROM ELECTRICEMISSIONS FROM FUELEMISSIONS FROM FUEL COMBUSTIONEMISSIONS FROM POWER GENERATIONEMISSIONS FROM POWER PLANTSEMISSIONS IMPACTSEND-USERSENERGY CONSUMPTIONENERGY ECONOMICSENERGY POLICYENERGY SOURCESENERGY SYSTEMSENERGY TECHNOLOGIESENERGY TECHNOLOGYENERGY TRANSFORMATIONENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTSENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCHFOSSILFOSSIL FUELFOSSIL FUELSGAS EMISSIONGHGGLOBAL ELECTRICITY GENERATIONGLOBAL EMISSIONSGLOBAL ENERGY CONSUMPTIONGLOBAL WARMINGGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTIONGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONSGREENHOUSE-GASHEATHEAT PUMPSHYBRID VEHICLESINDIRECT EMISSIONSINTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCYIPCCLAND USELOW CARBON ECONOMYLOW-CARBONNATURAL RESOURCESNUCLEAR POWEROILOIL PRICESPASSENGER VEHICLEPASSENGER VEHICLESPHOTOVOLTAIC POWERPOWER GENERATIONPOWER GENERATION TECHNOLOGIESPOWER PLANTPOWER PLANTSPOWER SECTORPOWER SUPPLYPRIMARY ENERGYREDUCTION IN CARBONRENEWABLE ENERGIESRENEWABLE ENERGYRENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCESRENEWABLE POWERRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGSROADSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTSUSTAINABLE ENERGYTOTAL EMISSIONSTRANSPORTTRANSPORTATIONTRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTUREVEHICLEVEHICLESWIND10.1596/1813-9450-7075