Systematic mapping of power system models: Expert survey

The power system is one of the main subsystems of larger energy systems. It is a complex system in itself, consisting of an ever-changing infrastructure used by a large number of actors of very different sizes. The boundaries of the power system are characterised by ever-evolving interfaces with equally complex subsystems such as gas transport and distribution, heating and cooling, and, increasingly, transport. The situation is further complicated by the fact that electricity is only a carrier, able to fulfil demand for such things as lighting, heat or mobility. One specific and fundamental feature of the electricity system is that demand and generation must match at any time, while satisfying technical and economic constraints. In most of the world’s power systems, only relatively small quantities of electricity can be stored, and only for limited periods of time. A detailed analysis of supply and demand is thus needed for short time intervals. Mathematical models facilitate power system planning, operation, transmission and distribution, demonstrating problems that need to be solved over different timescales and horizons. The use of modelling to understand these processes is not only vital for the system’s direct actors, i.e. the companies involved in the generation, trade, transmission, distribution and use of electricity, but also for policy-makers and regulators. Power system models can provide evidence to support policy-making at European Union, Member State and Regional level. As a consequence of the growth in computing power, mathematical models for power systems have become more accessible. The number of models available worldwide, and the degree of detail they provide, is growing fast. A proper mapping of power system models is therefore essential in order to: - provide an overview of power system models and their applications available in, or used by, European organisations; - analyse their modelling features; - identify modelling gaps. Few reviews have been conducted to date of the power system modelling landscape. The mission of the Knowledge for the Energy Union Unit of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) is to support policies related to the Energy Union by anticipating, mapping, collating, analysing, quality checking and communicating all relevant data/knowledge, including knowledge gaps, in a systematic and digestible way. This report therefore constitutes: - From the energy modelling perspective, a useful mapping exercise that could help promote knowledge-sharing and thus increase efficiency and transparency in the modelling community. It could trigger new, unexplored avenues of research. It also represents an ideal starting point for systematic review activities in the context of the power system. - From the knowledge management perspective, a useful blueprint to be adopted for similar mapping exercises in other thematic areas. Finally, this report is aligned with the objectives of the European Commission's Competence Centre on Modelling, (1) launched on 26 October 2017 and hosted by the JRC, which aims to promote a responsible, coherent and transparent use of modelling to support the evidence base for European Union policies. In order to meet the objectives of this report, an online survey was used to collect detailed and relevant information about power system models. The participants’ answers were processed to categorise and describe the modelling tools identified. The survey, conducted by the Knowledge for the Energy Union Unit of the JRC, comprised a set of questions for each model to ascertain its basic information, its users, software characteristics, modelling properties, mathematical description, policy-making applications, selected references, and more. The survey campaign was organised in two rounds between April and July 2017. 228 surveys were sent to power system experts and organisations, and 82 questionnaires were completed. The answers were processed to map the knowledge objectively. (2) The main results of the survey can be summarised as follows: - Software-related features: about two thirds of the models require third-party software such as commercial optimisation solvers or off-the-shelf software. Only 14% of the models are open source, while 11% are free to download. - Modelling-related features: models are mostly defined as optimisation problems (78%) rather than simulation (33%) or equilibrium problems (13%). 71% of the models solve a deterministic problem while 41% solve probabilistic or stochastic problems. - Modelled power system problems: the economic dispatch problem is the most commonly modelled problem with a share of approximately 70%, followed by generation expansion planning, unit commitment, and transmission expansion planning, with around 40‒43% each. Most of the models (57%) have non-public input data while 31% of models use open input data. - Modelled technologies: hydro, wind, thermal, storage and nuclear technologies are widely taken into account, featuring in around 83‒94% of models. However, HVDC, wave tidal, PSTs, and FACTS (3) are not often found unless the analysis is specifically performed for those technologies. - Applicability in the context of European energy policy: more than half of the mapped models (56%) were used to answer a specific policy question. Of the five Energy Union strategic dimensions, integration of the European Union internal energy market was addressed the most often (27%), followed by climate action (23%), research, innovation and competitiveness (21%), and energy efficiency (15%). This report includes JRC recommendations based on the results of the survey, on future research avenues for power system modelling and its applicability within the Energy Union strategic dimensions. More attention should be paid, for example, to model uncertainty features, and collaboration among researchers and practitioners should be promoted to intensify research into specific power system problems such as AC (4) optimal power flow. The report includes factsheets for each model analysed, summarising relevant characteristics based on the participants’ answers. While this report represents a scientific result per se, one of the expected (and welcomed) outcomes of this mapping exercise is to raise awareness of power system modelling activities among European policy makers.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

Implementing the SET Plan

The SET Plan has confirmed its role as the key EU energy research and innovation initiative that serves the Energy Union goals and delivers the innovations necessary to achieve the European transition to climate-neutrality by 2050. It has put forward a dedicated vision for each technology area by setting ambitious targets to be reached in the next decade(s) with the overall goal to place Europe at the forefront of the next generation of low-carbon energy technologies and of energy efficiency. For each of these technology areas, Implementation plans have been developed that facilitate the meeting of these targets. The 14 Implementation plans cover all the Energy Union Research & Innovation priority areas and the SET Plan 10 actions. They were endorsed by the SET Plan Steering Group(1) and the European Commission in 2018(2). In order to execute the Research & Innovation activities presented in the Implementation plans, interested SET Plan countries, and relevant industrial and research stakeholders have formed Implementation working groups (IWG). These groups have the task to advance the respective Implementation plans, reaching collectively the agreed technology targets. AGENDA 23(3) calls for “each IWG to develop a working methodology based on indicators to monitor the progress of actions under the Implementation plans and feeding the relevant information to the Strategic Energy Technologies Information System (SETIS).” SETIS has created a reporting methodology to facilitate this process, based on templates that have been presented in the 12th SET Plan conference in Bucharest and subsequently validated by the Steering Group members. Following a workshop dedicated to this process, the IWGs have been requested to complete these templates, provided by SETIS, which form the basis of the pilot “2019 SET Plan progress report”. This publication, released during the 13th SET Plan conference in Helsinki, offers a concise overview of this pilot phase of the SET Plan monitoring process, presenting the state of the implementation of the SET Plan based on the inputs from the SET Plan IWGs. (1) With the exception of the Nuclear safety Implementation plan that was endorsed by BE, CH, CZ, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IT, LT, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK, TR and UK. (2) https://setis.ec.europa.eu/actions-towards-implementing-integrated-set-plan (3) https://setis.ec.europa.eu/system/files/set-plan_agenda23.pdfJRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

The JRC-EU-TIMES model - Assessing the long-term role of the SET Plan Energy technologies

The JRC-EU-TIMES model is one of the models currently pursued in the JRC under the auspices of the JRC Modelling Taskforce. The model has been developed over the last years in a combined effort of two of the JRC Institutes, IPTS and IET. The JRC-EU-TIMES model is designed for analysing the role of energy technologies and their innovation for meeting Europe's energy and climate change related policy objectives. It models technologies uptake and deployment and their interaction with the energy infrastructure including storage options in an energy systems perspective. It is a relevant tool to support impact assessment studies in the energy policy field that require quantitative modelling at an energy system level with a high technology detail. This report aims at providing an overview on the JRC-EU-TIMES model main data inputs and major assumptions. Furthermore, it describes a number of model outputs from exemplary runs in order to display how the model reacts to different scenarios. The scenarios described in this report do not represent a quantified view of the European Commission on the future EU energy mix.JRC.F.6-Energy systems evaluatio

Technology Learning Curves for Energy Policy Support

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre and the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) organised an expert workshop on 'Learning Curves for Policy Support' in Amsterdam on 8 March 2012. It aimed to assess the challenges in the application of the two-factor learning curve, or alternative solutions in supporting policy decision making in the framework of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, and explored options for improvement. The workshop gathered distinguished experts in the field of scientific research on learning curves and policy researchers from the European Commission and ECN to assess the challenges in the application of the two-factor-learning curve, or alternative solutions in supporting policy decision making, and to provide options for improvement. This paper forms the summary of outcomes from the workshop. Due to the very different nature of the One-Factor-Learning concept and the Two-Factor-Learning concept, these are discussed in separate parts. In each of these parts the context and the methodology are introduced, methodological and data challenges are described and the problems associated with the application of the concept in models is discussed.JRC.F.6-Energy systems evaluatio

Implementing the SET Plan: Making the set plan fit for the EU green recovery: 2020 Report

Through commonly agreed R&I priorities and targets for clean energy solutions, the SET Plan plays a key role in the delivery of the European Green Deal, the transition to climate-neutrality and the implementation Next Generation EU programme. The alignment of national R&I programmes with our common SET-Plan vision will make Europe a global leader of the next generation of clean energy and energy efficiency technologies. The COVID-19 pandemic presents critical challenges for the EU, and many opportunities to revitalise/boost the European climate and energy framework based on the ambitious targets and objectives of the European Green Deal and the Next Generation EU recovery plan.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

SETIS Magazine: 10th anniversary edition: Looking back at 10 years of forward thinking, SET-Plan

Energy is key to our society, and the competitiveness of the EU industry and the quality of life of European citizens are today inconceivable without affordable, and reliable energy. A radical transformation is underway in the way energy is produced and used to fulfil societal needs. Low-carbon technologies including clean renewables gradually replace fossil fuels. Wind turbines generate power onshore and offshore. The sunlight is converted into electricity and heat by increasingly efficient photovoltaic cells, and solar thermal energy technologies are capable of providing renewable heating and electricity when needed. Once deployment at commercial scale of ocean energy would be demonstrated it will kick-start market deployment and drive down costs. Furthermore, the high capacity factor and flexibility of geothermal energy make it an attractive option for the EU’s energy mix along with biofuels that now can be produced from waste-to-energy valorification, supporting the circular economy as well. Consumers, empowered by numerous innovations, start to influence our energy system and other measures such as increased energy storage capacity, strengthened interconnections and smart grids will provide cutting edge solutions that significantly increase the flexibility and resilience of the EU energy system and cities’ overall energy and resource efficiency. The transformation of the energy system has substantial impacts on all economic activities, including the European industry. The future of European industry will depend on its ability to compete in a global environment, by continuously adapting and innovating through investments in new technologies and embracing changes brought on by increased digitisation and the transition to low-carbon and circular economy. Mobility and transport affect directly all European citizens. To this regard, the European Commission aims at promoting efficient, sustainable, safe, secure and environmentally friendly mobility, and making traffic safer, encourage fairer road charging, reduce CO2 emissions, air pollution and congestion. The long-term benefits of these measures will extend far beyond the transport sector by promoting jobs, growth and investment, strengthening social fairness, widening consumers’ choices and firmly putting Europe on the path towards low-carbon energy system. Ten years ago, the European Commission proposed an ambitious strategy to “Europeanise” energy policies across the EU; this gave birth to the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan in 2007. In this special edition we have endeavoured to look back at 10 years of forward thinking of SET‑Plan. We are very grateful to the contributors for taking time to give their perspectives and opinions of the 1st decade of the SET‑Plan, and we look forward to the next 10 years.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

Beyond carbon capture and storage: CO2 as chemical feedstock

The article is a joint contribution of units F.4, F.2 and F.6 in the internal to EC periodical of JRC "Scanning the Horizon" (Issue No 4, March 2013).JRC.F.4-Nuclear Reactor Integrity Assessment and Knowledge Managemen