How a positive tipping point cascade in power, transport and heating can accelerate the low-carbon transition

The energy system is becoming increasingly intertwined due to the electrification of transport and heating. At the same time, renewable electricity is growing rapidly, which carries risks and opportunities for speeding up the transition. Opportunities involve lowered electricity costs, vehicle-to-grid applications, repurposed EV batteries for grid applications and cross-sectoral induced innovation. However, fast renewable electrification can be constrained by land availability, storage needs and curtailment. Here, we model climate policies in four sectors: power, light and heavy road transport, and residential heating. We find that phase-outs and mandates are most effective in bringing down costs and creating cross-sectoral opportunities. Both a coal phase-out and a zero-emission light-duty vehicle mandate can bring forward the cost-parity point for clean (versus fossil) technology in other sectors by over a year in specific countries. Our results demonstrate that coordinated deployment policies can rapidly bring down the costs of green technologies across sectors.