Assessing the Impacts of Inter-Regional Power Transmissions on Energy Structure in China’s Power Sector

Abstract

Ultra-high voltage (UHV) inter-regional power transmissions not only can upgrade the optimal allocation ability of electricity energy in a wider range, but also can link the renewable energy power plant center and electricity load center. We use a bottom-up optimization model based on six regional power grids to simulate the impact of inter-regional transmission on energy structure in china’s power sector. The result shows that it maybe not has the positive effect as we had expected, the main consequence of the inter-regional power transmission is the thermal power generation migration among different regions, which has no significant effect on promoting renewable energy in the absence of other incentive policies. As a new form of inter-regional energy deployment, UHV inter-regional power transmission will change our future regional energy use, as well as air emissions, greenhouse gas emissions and other development path, so we also put SO2, NOx and CO2 emission control into consideration.