The Value of Sector Coupling for the Development of Offshore Power Grids

Matti Koivisto,Lena Kitzing,Juan Gea-Bermúdez,Poul Sørensen,Kaushik Das,Juan Pablo Murcia León

doi:10.3390/en15030747

Abstract

Offshore grids can play key roles in the transition of energy systems toward sustainability. Although they require extensive infrastructure investments, they allow for the exploitation of additional resources and may be important in providing for part of the increasing electricity demands driven by sector coupling. This paper quantifies the socioeconomic value of offshore grids and identifies their major drivers, performing energy system optimization in a model application of the northern–central European energy system and the North Sea offshore grid towards 2050. The increasing wake loss with the sizes of hub-connected wind farms is integrated in the modeling. We find that without sector coupling no offshore grid may develop, and that the higher the level of sector coupling, the higher the value of offshore grids. Therefore, it can be strongly stated that offshore grid infrastructure development should not be discussed as a separate political topic, but seen in connection to sector coupling.

Highlights

IntroductionGea-Bermúdez et al [3] found that partial electrification of the industry sector reduces system costs
We find that the electrification of the energy sector with sector coupling leads to a substantial increase of the electricity demand towards 2050
This work has shown that sector coupling is decisive for the future development of offshore grids

Summary

Introduction

Gea-Bermúdez et al [3] found that partial electrification of the industry sector reduces system costs Both Thellufsen et al [4] and Brown et al [5] showed that both transmission expansion and sector coupling lead to lower system costs. Gea-Bermúdez et al [7] analyzed the role of sector coupling in the green transition, using a model, including the heat, transport, and electricity sectors, and found that the electrification of the heat sector is key to reduce emissions and costs in that sector. These papers show the value of sector coupling in decarbonized energy systems

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion