Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/74407 
Year of Publication: 
2012
Series/Report no.: 
EWI Working Paper No. 12/04
Publisher: 
Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI), Köln
Abstract: 
As an attempt to fi ght global warming, many countries try to reduce CO2 emissions in the power sector by significantly increasing the proportion of renewable energies (RES-E). A highly intermeshed electricity transmission grid allows the achievement of this target cost-efficiently by enabling the usage of most favorable RES-E sites and by facilitating the integration of fluctuating RES-E infeed and regional electricity demands. However, construction of new lines is often proceeding very slowly in areas with a high population density. In this paper, we try to quantify the bene ts of optimal transmission grid extensions for Europe until 2050 compared to moderate extensions when ambitious RES-E and CO2 reduction targets are achieved. We iterate a large-scale dynamic investment and dispatch optimization model for Europe with a load-flow based transmission grid model, in order to determine the optimal deployment of electricity generation technologies and transmission grid extensions from a system integrated point of view. Main findings of our analysis include that large transmission grid extensions are needed to achieve the European targets cost-efficiently. When the electricity network is cost-optimally extended, 228,000 km are built until 2050, representing an increase of 76% compared to today. Further findings include substantial increases of average system costs for electricity until 2050, even if RES-E are deployed efficiently throughout Europe, the grid is extended optimally, and if signi cant cost reductions of RES-E are assumed.
Subjects: 
Renewable energy
GHG reduction
transmission grid
power system optimization
JEL: 
C61
C63
Q40
Q58
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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