Electricity without borders - The need for cross-border transmission investment in Europe

An increase in cross-border electricity flows is foreseen in Europe in the coming decades due to large-scale penetration of renewable energy, the electrical integration of the Euro-Mediterranean region, the electrification of transport, and possible shifts in electricity generation dispatch caused by the evolution of CO2 prices. This dissertation explores the impacts of possible changes in electricity generation and demand patterns on the need for cross-border transmission investment in Europe. The analysis is performed with EUPowerDispatch, a minimum-cost unit commitment dispatch model of the European electricity system which was developed by the author and which constitutes one of the main products of his research. It is concluded that the cross-border transmission investment plans that are foreseen by ENTSO-E by 2025 are adequate given the expected evolution of the European power system. However, in order to reach the challenging European power system decarbonisation goal, significantly more cross-border transmission investment is needed, in addition to much stronger decarbonisation policies.Energy & IndustryTechnology, Policy and Managemen