Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe

Michael Child; Claudia Kemfert; Dmitrii Bogdanov; Christian Breyer

doi:10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.077

Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe

Michael Child^*
, Claudia Kemfert
, Dmitrii Bogdanov
, Christian Breyer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

521 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Two transition pathways towards a 100% renewable energy (RE) power sector by 2050 are simulated for Europe using the LUT Energy System Transition model. The first is a Regions scenario, whereby regions are modelled independently, and the second is an Area scenario, which has transmission interconnections between regions. Modelling is performed in hourly resolution for 5-year time intervals, from 2015 to 2050, and considers current capacities and ages of power plants, as well as projected increases in future electricity demands. Results of the optimisation suggest that the levelised cost of electricity could fall from the current 69 €/MWh to 56 €/MWh in the Regions scenario and 51 €/MWh in the Area scenario through the adoption of low cost, flexible RE generation and energy storage. Further savings can result from increasing transmission interconnections by a factor of approximately four. This suggests that there is merit in further development of a European Energy Union, one that provides clear governance at a European level, but allows for development that is appropriate for regional contexts. This is the essence of a SuperSmart approach. A 100% RE energy system for Europe is economically competitive, technologically feasible, and consistent with targets of the Paris Agreement.

Original language	English
Journal	Renewable Energy
Volume	139
Pages (from-to)	80-101
Number of pages	22
ISSN	0960-1481
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.077
Publication status	Published - 01.08.2019
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the public financing of Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, for the ‘Neo-Carbon Energy’ project under the number 40101/14, and Stiftung Mercator GmbH and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt supporting the Energy Watch Group, which helped to realise parts of this study. The authors thank Arman Aghahosseini for support in diagram creation. Appendix A

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Authors

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 13 Climate Action

Research areas and keywords

100% Renewable energy
Energy policy
Energy transition
Europe
Storage technologies
Economics

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Engineering(all)
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Access to Document

10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.077Licence: CC BY

521 Citations
1 Comments / Debate / Reports

Corrigendum to “Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe” [Renew. Energy 139 (2019) 80-101]
Child, M., Kemfert, C., Bogdanov, D. & Breyer, C., 01.04.2021, In: Renewable Energy. 167, p. 960 1 p.
Research output: Journal contributions › Comments / Debate / Reports › Research

Cite this

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title = "Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100\% renewable energy system in Europe",

abstract = "Two transition pathways towards a 100\% renewable energy (RE) power sector by 2050 are simulated for Europe using the LUT Energy System Transition model. The first is a Regions scenario, whereby regions are modelled independently, and the second is an Area scenario, which has transmission interconnections between regions. Modelling is performed in hourly resolution for 5-year time intervals, from 2015 to 2050, and considers current capacities and ages of power plants, as well as projected increases in future electricity demands. Results of the optimisation suggest that the levelised cost of electricity could fall from the current 69 €/MWh to 56 €/MWh in the Regions scenario and 51 €/MWh in the Area scenario through the adoption of low cost, flexible RE generation and energy storage. Further savings can result from increasing transmission interconnections by a factor of approximately four. This suggests that there is merit in further development of a European Energy Union, one that provides clear governance at a European level, but allows for development that is appropriate for regional contexts. This is the essence of a SuperSmart approach. A 100\% RE energy system for Europe is economically competitive, technologically feasible, and consistent with targets of the Paris Agreement.",

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author = "Michael Child and Claudia Kemfert and Dmitrii Bogdanov and Christian Breyer",

note = "Funding Information: The authors gratefully acknowledge the public financing of Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, for the {\textquoteleft}Neo-Carbon Energy{\textquoteright} project under the number 40101/14, and Stiftung Mercator GmbH and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt supporting the Energy Watch Group, which helped to realise parts of this study. The authors thank Arman Aghahosseini for support in diagram creation. Appendix A Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Authors",

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doi = "10.1016/j.renene.2019.02.077",

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journal = "Renewable Energy",

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N2 - Two transition pathways towards a 100% renewable energy (RE) power sector by 2050 are simulated for Europe using the LUT Energy System Transition model. The first is a Regions scenario, whereby regions are modelled independently, and the second is an Area scenario, which has transmission interconnections between regions. Modelling is performed in hourly resolution for 5-year time intervals, from 2015 to 2050, and considers current capacities and ages of power plants, as well as projected increases in future electricity demands. Results of the optimisation suggest that the levelised cost of electricity could fall from the current 69 €/MWh to 56 €/MWh in the Regions scenario and 51 €/MWh in the Area scenario through the adoption of low cost, flexible RE generation and energy storage. Further savings can result from increasing transmission interconnections by a factor of approximately four. This suggests that there is merit in further development of a European Energy Union, one that provides clear governance at a European level, but allows for development that is appropriate for regional contexts. This is the essence of a SuperSmart approach. A 100% RE energy system for Europe is economically competitive, technologically feasible, and consistent with targets of the Paris Agreement.

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Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Research areas and keywords

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Corrigendum to “Flexible electricity generation, grid exchange and storage for the transition to a 100% renewable energy system in Europe” [Renew. Energy 139 (2019) 80-101]

Cite this