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Europe could switch to low carbon sources of electricity, with up to 100% coming from renewables by 2050, without risking energy reliability or pushing up energy bills, according to a major new study, Roadmap 2050: a practical guide to a prosperous, low-carbon Europe, developed by the European Climate Foundation (ECF) with contributions from McKinsey, KEMA, Imperial College London and Oxford Economics. It says that a transition to a low- or zero-carbon power supply based on high levels of renewable energy would have no impact on reliability, and would have little overall impact on the cost of generating electricity.

The study prepared by the European and international climate experts at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the European Climate Forum, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the International Institute for Applied System Analysis, examines the potential for powering Europe and North Africa with renewable electricity exclusively by 2050 and the opportunities this transformation to the power sector presents.  The study provides policy makers and business leaders with clear direction and a step wise approach on how to achieve the 2050 vision.

Based on the joint Roadmap for a Low-Carbon Power Sector by 2050 presented in December 2009 in Copenhagen, an industry goal of developing national or regional emission reduction trajectories towards a low-carbon future has been set. These trajectories will rely on a common measure of carbon emission intensity. In that respect, supportive, transparent and stable governmental policies are necessary for long-term planning by the industry and to encourage the significant investments needed.Five chapters have been identified for the Industry to work together with governments:

In the realm of intelligent buildings, there's a lot of talk about the smart grid, B2G, and "convergence." Denis Du Bois interviews Siemens, a major player in both sectors. Is there a roadmap for this convergence, or will it be a pile-up?