Tom Brown, On the feasibility of 100% renewable electricity – and biomethanol as a backstop in a net-zero emissions scenario

In the episode, we are visited by Tom Brown, energy system modeler and professor at Technische Universität Berlin. He is also one of the founders of the popular open-source energy system modeling software PyPSA.

The episode turned into a wide ranging discussion on energy systems modeling, particularly of systems consisting of a large share of solar and wind.

In the second part of the episode, we focus on one of Tom's latest studies, where he and his colleagues Philipp Glaum, Fabian Neumann and Markus Millinger explore using biomethanol as a fuel and feedstock for the hard-to-abate sectors of aviation, shipping, chemical production and as a backstop for the power system during long spells of little wind or solar production.

Texts referenced in the episode:

Burden of proof: A comprehensive review of the feasibility of 100% renewable-electricity systems

Response to 'Burden of proof: A comprehensive review of the feasibility of 100% renewable-electricity systems'

Burden of proof-debate FAQ (from Tom's blog)

We need to talk about grid costs (from Tom's blog)

Solar and batteries can power the world (from Tom's blog)

A minimal methanol backstop for high-electrification scenarios