True or not true: CO2 free electricity generation is possible

Transition to a low-emission society requires radical emissions reductions in the electricity generation sector. Imposing that hourly load has to be served solely by wind power, solar PV and an energy storage technology, it is shown, using optimization and simulations of re-analysis data, how the EU can design a completely CO2 emission-free electricity generation sector. For such a system, the optimal battery energy capacity should be 32 times of average hourly consumption of electricity in the EU. However, total production of electricity over a 10 year period is as much as 43% above total consumption of electricity.