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Can a solar-wind system meet future energy demands?

Accelerating energy transition towards renewables is central to net-zero emissions. However, building a global power system dominated by solar and wind energy presents immense challenges. Here, we demonstrate the potential of a globally interconnected solar-wind system to meet future electricity demands.

Are solar and wind resources interconnected?

Theoretically, the potential of solar and wind resources on Earth vastly surpasses human demand 33, 34. In our pursuit of a globally interconnected solar-wind system, we have focused solely on the potentials that are exploitable, accessible, and interconnectable (see “Methods”).

How does interconnectivity affect solar-wind development?

As the degree of interconnectivity increases, solar-wind development gradually shifts towards regions with distinct resource advantages, such as the midwestern United States for superior solar resources, and coastal or high-altitude areas for high wind energy potential (Fig. 2a, b).

How to choose the best solar energy system?

The optimal one was selected based on meeting the minimum solar-wind penetration of 68%, as specified by the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario (Supplementary Table S1) while achieving a curtailment close to 5% and minimizing costs.