Terrawater

Why this scenario?

The scenarios put forward for public debate aim to inspire France’s future energy policy, and to this end they outline many options and perspectives of interest.

It seems that the scenarios previously published contain a certain number of elements, which, if selected, would lead to an energy policy that compromises achievement of our objectives, whether this is in terms of the climate, the environment, or energy supply to citizens.

Issues resolved by this scenario

  • Decarbonizing the energy mix while minimising the environmental impact of energy production
  • Guarantee energy sovereignty while contributing to European solidarity.
  • Giving industries the possibility to grow and decarbonize their activities without financial and technological risks.
  • Prioritize electricity, the most versatile and easiest vector to decarbonize.
  • Safeguard a democratic system and ensure the environmental objectives are kept beyond 2050.
  • Offer a sober, sovereign, and mature solution for electricity storage.
  • Limit the use of biomass to a minimum to minimize land use.
  • Place nuclear power at the base of the energy mix to ensure optimal use of its properties.
  • Use VREs as a real decarbonization tool and according to their properties.

Overview of the French energy mix in 2050

Pitfalls avoided

• Structural technological, human, and/or geopolitical bets
• Leaving network stability as a secondary issue
• Integration of various energy sources without consideration for their technical optimum
• Redundancies, specifically on the networks
• Significant environmental footprint of energy generation (resources, land use, wastes)
• Unilateral perception of the question of European and international solidarity
• Setting aside the development of hydropower

How do we get there ?

Get all the relevant documents here

Access files

Already avaible :

  •  The full TerraWater report in English

  • Synthesis: A short document summarizing the main points of the scenario

  • Economic analysis: A document in which we synthetize the economic aspects of energy trajectory envisioned in the scenario.

Comming soon :

  • A comparisson of the existing energy scenarios
  • An annexe on Pumped-hydro annexe detailing all the location identified as viable for the construction of a pumped-hydro storage installation.