Can You Run a Grid Entirely On Renewables? Ep208: Anders Lindberg

Can You Run A Grid Without Fossil Fuels? 


"Yes," says Anders Lindberg, President of Energy and Executive VP
at Wärtsilä, on this week's episode of Cleaning Up. It'll just
cost €65 trillion extra by 2050. 


Anders' team at Wärtsilä has recently published its Crossroads to
Net Zero report, which argues that keeping a little bit of
flexible generation on the grid will save huge amounts of money
as the globe strives for net zero, while also speeding up the
transition to renewables. The argument centres on what to do with
the last few percent of power supply, and what forms of
generation need to be built to ensure consistent electricity
supply and prevent black or brown outs.


Perhaps unsurprisingly for a gas engine manufacturer, Wärtsilä's
report makes the case that gas should provide the last few
percentage points of electricity generation. Michael Liebreich
puts that claim to the test. 


Discover more:


Wärtsilä's Crossroads to Net Zero report:
https://www.wartsila.com/energy/towards-100-renewable-energy/choosing-the-optimal-pathway-for-energy-transition

Can Germany’s Gas Giant Go Green? Ep206: Michael Lewis -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOD-f6uSPgc

Q&A: What we do – and do not – know about the blackout in
Spain and Portugal —
https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-we-do-and-do-not-know-about-the-blackout-in-spain-and-portugal/

ENTSO-E expert panel initiates the investigation into the
causes of Iberian blackout:
https://www.entsoe.eu/news/2025/05/09/entso-e-expert-panel-initiates-the-investigation-into-the-causes-of-iberian-blackout



Leadership Circle: 


Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its
founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner,
EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini
Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature
Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on
the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.