Modelling long term EU decarbonization policies along with detailed country energy system adequacy and security assessments

The assessment of adequacy and security of the energy system requires the detailed knowledge of physical and operational characteristics. In contrast, studies concerning energy transitions employ stylized models that oftentimes ignore the technical properties but have a lasting influence on longterm energy policies. This paper investigates the gap between energy system planning and operational models by linking these two perspectives: (1) a long-term investment model with low spatial resolution and high level of aggregation, and (2) a spatially resolved system security model that captures the interdependences between the backbone of the electric power sector, i.e., the electricity and the gas infrastructures. We assess EU decarbonisation pathways of the electricity sector towards 2050 by integrating the investment decisions of the long-term planning model and the safety performance of the resulting system operations via the security model. In a large RES deployment scenario, we investigate two flexibility options: gas power plants and cross-country transmission expansion. Using the integrated model, we analyze how the adequacy and security of supply under extreme short-term operational conditions impact the long-term planning of the energy system and the investment decision-making. We provide country specific recommendations for UK. Results indicate weaknesses in the gas-electricity system and suggest improvements on capacity allocation

The role of hydroelectric generation in electric power systems with large scale wind generation

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)-- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 123-126).An increasing awareness of the operational challenges created by intermittent generation of electricity from policy-mandated renewable resources, such as wind and solar, has led to increased scrutiny of the public policies that promote their growth and the regulatory system that maintains operation of a reliable and economically efficient power system. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that hydroelectric generation can provide significant benefits in power systems that have already significantly increased their power generation from intermittent renewable resources. A heuristic-based algorithm for optimizing the scheduling of hydroelectric power generation facilities was developed and integrated into the Low-Emissions Electricity Market Analysis (LEEMA) model to analyze the interaction of generation capacity from wind, thermal, and hydro resources in the economic dispatch of individual generation plants. The algorithm identifies the most costly periods of thermal production, considering fuel, startup and operation and maintenance costs, to determine the optimal schedule of hydro generation within its capacity constraints. The hydrothermal LEEMA model is run on the current Spanish electric power system to identify the impact of introducing hydro generation to a system, varying levels of flexibility in hydro generation, and increasing levels of wind generation. The analysis concludes that hydro generation can significantly reduce the impact of intermittent renewable generation, that the level of flexibility of hydro generation must be understood to determine how beneficial the hydro generation can be, and that hydro generation will delay the most significant impacts of increasing levels of wind generation.by John Michael Hagerty.S.M.in Technology and Polic

Integration of Variable Renewable Generation into Electricity Systems

Achieving the emission reductions that scientists recommend will require the deployment of technologies, such as wind turbines and solar photovoltaics, which have fundamentally different characteristics to the fossil fuel generators that have contributed to the growth and prosperity enjoyed throughout the industrialised world. This research has centred on developing a greater understanding of the technical and economic challenges of increasing variable renewable penetration in electricity systems. Following a review of the literature, three important topics for research are identified and analysed. Initially, the EnergyPLAN tool is used to quantify the benefits of increasing energy storage and interconnection capacity in future British power systems. The findings conclude that increasing the interconnection and storage capacity allows for an increase in the maximum technically feasible wind penetration, this permitting a reduction in system emission intensity. Subsequently, the operational requirements for thermal plants in future power systems are investigated using the PLEXOS Integrated Energy Model. In the scenarios considered, the utilisation of gas plants is relatively low but remains fundamental to security of supply. The findings have important implications for energy policy as government intervention may be required to prevent early decommissioning of gas capacity, should the prevailing market conditions not guarantee revenue adequacy. Finally, using the PLEXOS Integrated Energy Model, a capacity expansion model is developed to understand the long term price implications in systems constrained by emission reduction and system security targets. As the long run costs increase at a greater rate than the short run costs, revenues from the energy market are increasingly insufficient for firm generation capacity to recover costs. The insights highlight the importance of designing power markets that provide incentives to satisfy both emission reduction targets and security constraints, in systems with increasing variable renewable generation