Pan-European Energy System Model

The Pan-European energy ecosystem is undergoing a significant transformation to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. This transition is guided by the European Green Deal, which sets ambitious targets: a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, a 90% reduction by 2040, and full neutrality by 2050. Meeting these goals requires coordinated action across all GHG-emitting sectors, along with robust analysis to identify the most critical investments and viable transition pathways. To support this effort, energy system models must not only accurately represent each sector but also incorporate uncertainty to reflect the complexity of the transition.

In response to this need, the Pan-European framework for energy system planning integrates data components for each sector into a unique comprehensive energy planning model. It draws on open-access data sources to build sectoral models that can be tailored to different levels of detail and geographic scope. These models cover key areas such as variable renewable energy, hydropower, energy networks, conversion and storage technologies, and end-use sectors. The data can be prepared flexibly for different geographic regions, considering multi-decade weather data. Support for considering climate projections is being added.

• Geographical resolution: EU27 + UK, Norway and Switzerland
• Sector resolution: Electricity, Methane, Hydrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Biomass, Methanol, Fuel Liquids, Transport, Industry and Buildings
• Temporal resolution: Pathways from 2030 to 2050, analyzing 2030, 2040 and 2050 in the same model. Each year is represented by representative periods which are integrated in a methodology to correctly account for the whole chronology in order to capture the dynamics of long-duration energy storage.