100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints
The urgency to combat climate change and the widely distributed, increasingly competitive renewable resources in North America are strong arguments to explore scenarios for a renewable energy supply in the region. While the current power system of North America is heavily dependent on fossil fuels,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/658 |
| _version_ | 1797406490370244608 |
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| author | Elmar Zozmann Leonard Göke Mario Kendziorski Citlali Rodriguez del Angel Christian von Hirschhausen Johanna Winkler |
| author_facet | Elmar Zozmann Leonard Göke Mario Kendziorski Citlali Rodriguez del Angel Christian von Hirschhausen Johanna Winkler |
| author_sort | Elmar Zozmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The urgency to combat climate change and the widely distributed, increasingly competitive renewable resources in North America are strong arguments to explore scenarios for a renewable energy supply in the region. While the current power system of North America is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, namely natural gas, coal and oil, and some nuclear power plants, some current policies at the state level, and future federal policies are likely to push the share of different renewable sources available in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. This paper explores three scenarios for a renewable energy supply, using a bottom-up energy system model with a high level of spatial and time granularity. The scenarios span the extremes with respect to connecting infrastructure: while one scenario only looks at state-level supply and demand, without interconnections, the other extreme scenario allows cross-continental network investments. The model results indicate that the North American continent (a) has sufficient renewable potential to satisfy its energy demand with renewables, independent of the underlying grid assumption, (b) solar generation dominates the generation mix as the least-cost option under given renewable resource availability and (c) simultaneous planning of generation and transmission capacity expansion does not result in high grid investments, but the necessary flexibility to integrate intermittent renewable generation is rather provided by the existing grid in combination with short-term and seasonal storages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-41c12bf60d9d4904a9977207c41f1a77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:13Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-41c12bf60d9d4904a9977207c41f1a772023-12-03T15:01:04ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-01-0114365810.3390/en14030658100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network ConstraintsElmar Zozmann0Leonard Göke1Mario Kendziorski2Citlali Rodriguez del Angel3Christian von Hirschhausen4Johanna Winkler5Workgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyWorkgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyWorkgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyWorkgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyWorkgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyWorkgroup for Infrastructure Policy, Technical University of Berlin, 10623 Berlin, GermanyThe urgency to combat climate change and the widely distributed, increasingly competitive renewable resources in North America are strong arguments to explore scenarios for a renewable energy supply in the region. While the current power system of North America is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, namely natural gas, coal and oil, and some nuclear power plants, some current policies at the state level, and future federal policies are likely to push the share of different renewable sources available in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. This paper explores three scenarios for a renewable energy supply, using a bottom-up energy system model with a high level of spatial and time granularity. The scenarios span the extremes with respect to connecting infrastructure: while one scenario only looks at state-level supply and demand, without interconnections, the other extreme scenario allows cross-continental network investments. The model results indicate that the North American continent (a) has sufficient renewable potential to satisfy its energy demand with renewables, independent of the underlying grid assumption, (b) solar generation dominates the generation mix as the least-cost option under given renewable resource availability and (c) simultaneous planning of generation and transmission capacity expansion does not result in high grid investments, but the necessary flexibility to integrate intermittent renewable generation is rather provided by the existing grid in combination with short-term and seasonal storages.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/658100 percent renewable energiescapacity expansion modelingelectricity market integration |
| spellingShingle | Elmar Zozmann Leonard Göke Mario Kendziorski Citlali Rodriguez del Angel Christian von Hirschhausen Johanna Winkler 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints Energies 100 percent renewable energies capacity expansion modeling electricity market integration |
| title | 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints |
| title_full | 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints |
| title_fullStr | 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints |
| title_full_unstemmed | 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints |
| title_short | 100% Renewable Energy Scenarios for North America—Spatial Distribution and Network Constraints |
| title_sort | 100 renewable energy scenarios for north america spatial distribution and network constraints |
| topic | 100 percent renewable energies capacity expansion modeling electricity market integration |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/3/658 |
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