Summary:
The main objective of the GridTech project is to conduct a fully integrated assessment of new grid-impacting technologies and their implementation into the European electricity system. This will allow comparing different technological options towards the exploitation of the full potential of future electricity production from renewable energy sources (RES-E), with the lowest possible total electricity system cost. The time frame of GridTech analyses is up to the year 2050, with a particular focus on the target years 2020, 2030 and 2050.
Under the project framework, regional analyses focusing on RES-E grid and market integration issues to be dealt with in seven target countries – Isle of Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria and Bulgaria – within different time horizons were carried out: (i) in the short-term (from 5 to 10 years’ time horizon), analyses are focused on technologies that optimize the use of the existing transmission network and on the effects of these technologies on power system operation and integration of RES generation; (ii) in the long-term (target years 2030 and 2050), analyses are focused on innovative technologies implemented to integrate larger shares of RES generation.
In order to guarantee robust methodology implementation, critical discussion and review of preliminary results of regional case studies with regional target groups and stakeholders, a regional workshop was organized in each one of the seven target countries (Isle of Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria and Bulgaria). In several of regional events, important feedback was obtained from stakeholders – i.e. TSOs, policy makers, regulatory authorities, RES-E promoters and manufacturers – during the workshops. Suggestions regarding input data and sensitivity scenarios provided by invited experts were taken into account as much as possible into the regional studies.
The main technologies assessed in the regional analyses include: FACTS and DLR devices in the short term, DSM and storage options (mainly PHES, batteries and Electric Vehicles (EV), and HVDC in the mid- to the long-term. Results of these studies indicated that: (i) in the short-term, FACTS and DLR devices are cost-efficient solutions to increase the use of the existing transmission capacity; (ii) in the mid-term, solutions such to DSM, storage technologies and EV increase the system flexibility and can contribute to balance intermittency brought by larger amounts of RES production, reducing system operation costs; this benefit may be prolonged also in the longer term ; (iii) in the long-term, the development of a European overlay HVDC network could be an economic solution to better integrate countries with high percentage of RES and to achieve the European Commission’s goal of reducing by 80 to 95 % CO2 emissions by 2050
IIT Project: GridTech_IEE (GridTech_IEE)
Funding entity: Comisión Europea. Intelligent Energy – Europe (IEE)
Publication date: 01-01-2015
IIT-15-119I
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