Electricity Exports Research Articles

Assessing the impact of electricity interconnectors on the Great Britain’s power supply in 2030

The transition from the current CO2 emitting power production to a renewable-rich power system requires various types of energy storage options to capture the surplus renewable energy and/or increasing the interconnection capacity to trade power and secure electricity supply during peak demand times in addition to export surplus power at low demand periods. In this study, the function of power interconnectors between Great Britain (GB) and the neighboring countries within 2030 is investigated. Two interconnection links with a total capacity of 17.7 GW were assumed, i.e. a one-way import-only interconnector (IC1) and a two-way trade link between GB and France (IC2). The IC2 link was assumed to transmit power from cheaper country to the more expensive one. A linear programming (LP) merit order dispatch model was used to find the economic power production over 2030.The results indicate that the share of generating technologies in 2030 depends on the IC1 import price and the IC2 capacity. The capacity factor of the IC2 link reduces as the IC2 capacity goes up at constant IC1 import price. In addition, at constant IC2 capacity, the capacity factor of the IC2 link increases as the IC1 import price increases. For each IC1 import price, increasing the IC2 capacity reduces the percentage of times that IC2 is fully loaded and the load of IC1 is zero. The IC1 import price affects the quantity of electricity trade between GB and France. For example, assuming an IC1 electricity import price of £20/MWh results in about 9 TWh electricity export to France and 88 TWh electricity import to GB which is over 7x of the total electricity traded in 2016. At a fixed IC1 electricity import price, the power import via the IC2 link with capacity of 11 GW is ca. 5 times higher than the case with IC2 capacity of 2 GW. At any IC1 import price, higher IC2 capacities reduce the number of occasions that the IC1 is loaded. For the case that the IC1 import price is £20/MWh and IC2 capacity is 2 GW, there will be 990 half-hours that GB acts as an electricity corridor.

Trade in the Carbon-Constrained Future: Exploiting the Comparative Carbon Advantage of Swedish Trade

This paper introduces a new concept of comparative carbon advantage as a potential climate mitigation tool. According to the concept, welfare gains in terms of reduced global CO2 emissions can be achieved by exploiting cross-country sectoral differences in carbon intensity and decarbonized electricity system. The paper empirically tests the concept by utilizing annual data of Sweden between 1995 and 2008. Overall, the results show that Sweden contributed nearly 590 million tons of potential CO2 emissions savings through its exports by having an efficient and low-carbon production and electricity system. This total amount of 590 million tons of CO2 emissions relates to the total savings made if the same amount and composition of Swedish exports was produced using the world average technology. Furthermore, the contribution of Sweden’s low carbon electricity generation was over 34% of the total savings, of which some 20% were direct exports of electricity and 80% was electricity embodied in exported products. This research provides a critical understanding of the impact of efficient production and low carbon electricity in generating relative comparative carbon advantage—a policy relevant aspect for the increasingly globalized, and carbon-constrained, world.

Economic Integration Stages Clarification of the Countries in Electricity Trade

The article analyzes regional energy cooperation in sub-regions of Asia with a detailed study of South Asia and the CIS. The aim is to develop the theory of energy markets integration by adding an element of mutual trade to it. The study is based on statistics data of electricity exports by sub-regions of Eurasia based on the information of bilateral exports. The level of regional economic integration was estimated by the “export share” indicator, as well as by graph theory methods. Four out of nine countries in the South Asian region are not yet included in energy trade. This fact does not allow to speak about the success of the efforts undertaken by international organizations in the subregion as a whole. The results of the network analysis show that the relations between the countries of the region are fragmented, the problem of South Asian countries integration in the field of electricity trade is far from a solution. In the CIS, only 10% of electricity is traded within the region. There are two clusters of countries in the subregion. The countries of the larger cluster are connected through trade with the rest of the world. The countries of the second cluster — Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan — are interconnected, but not with Russia, being the beneficiaries of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Program. Thus, the prevailing architecture of regional ties may indicate small integration created by the efforts of an international organization in the region. The CIS region meets the description of the energy markets' integration level as being between “interconnection” and “shallow”. To characterize the integration level, we recommend examining the graph connectivity, centrality indicators, and the number and size of clusters. Russia's efforts in the area of electricity trade in Asia are examined in four aspects. Development assistance is inadequate, and membership in the Asian Development Bank is likely to become a pressing issue. Cooperation with the CIS countries leaves aside two countries of the post-Soviet space, it is not able to attract four more countries of Central Asia to cooperate. Cooperation within the EAEU is insufficient for Belarus and Armenia, therefore, the creation of a single electric energy market by 2025 is an urgent task.

Ensuring the Balance of Electric Energy Production and Consumption in the German Energy System in Days with the Maximum Generation of Plants Using Res

In accordance with the energy strategy, the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in Germany’s electric energy consumption is expected to increase up to 35% by 2020, 50% by 2030, 65% by 2040 and 80% by 2050. An increase in RES share in the energy system will affect the operating modes of all types of power plants. The structure of generating capacities should ensure the maintenance of electrical modes taking into account the daily and seasonal unevenness of electricity consumption. Currently, the balance of production and consumption in the German energy system in the days with the maximum generation of renewable energy plants is ensured by the export of electricity.

The design of 100 % renewable smart urb an energy systems: The case of Bozen-Bolzano

Abstract Sustainable urban energy planning depends on how renewable and local sources are integrated, how smart systems are implemented, and how synergies between regional and national policies are maximized. This study presents a methodology for the design of 100% renewable energy systems aiming to optimize the use of biomass and energy exchange with the national system while ensuring electricity import and export balance. The proposed procedure combines the robustness of the EnergyPLAN hourly energy system simulation model with the flexibility of multiple-criteria decision analysis. The result is a suitable methodology able to identify the best energy scenario based on a deep multi-parameter analysis from a technical point of view. A test case is proposed aiming at achieving 100% renewable energy for the Alpine city of Bozen-Bolzano in 2050.

Foreign Missions’ Role in Promoting International Trade: Empirical Evidence of Sri Lankan Foreign Missions Promoting Electronic Exports in Germany

Foreign missions have been the pillars of trade promotion and in particular, of export and export-oriented investment. In Sri Lanka, the potentiality in export promotion to Germany is immense. However, it is discernible that there is no coordinated effort in promoting trade in Sri Lanka by foreign missions. Therefore, this research examines the role of foreign missions in promoting international trade between Sri Lanka and Germany especially focusing on Electrical and Electronic Sector. The case study is based on the empirical evidence of Sri Lankan foreign missions promoting electrical and electronic exports in Germany. Potential growth-enhancing factors will benefit from increased global economic integration through trade promotion activities undertaken by the host country and the foreign mission. A qualitative methodology was used to understand the stakeholder perspective of the role of foreign missions. Analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews (13) derived the results that trade fairs and Business to Business meetings as the most effective trade promotion activities. Findings of the study confirms six (6) vital roles of a foreign mission which are internalizing industries, promoting, business intelligence, stakeholder communication, building strategic relationships and inter-governmental engagement respectively. The paper points out managerial and policy implications such as pro-activeness of the head of foreign missions and strategic and trustworthy relationships between the countries. The study concludes that the activities carried out by the Sri Lankan Foreign Mission in Germany does not satisfy the exporters’ expectations and requirements. Further this study recommendations are provided to both German and Sri Lankan Governments and foreign missions.

Sustainable Solar Energy in Mexican Universities. Case Study: The National School of Higher Studies Juriquilla (UNAM)

Universities around the world should be at the forefront of energy-saving and efficiency processes, seeking to be at the same level or preferably higher than the rest of society, and seeking the goal of 20% renewable energy by 2020. Sustainability practices have been carried out by several universities. In Mexico, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is a leader in this subject; in fact, the newest National School of Higher Studies - Juriquilla (ENES-J) that belongs to UNAM, located in the city of Queretaro (Mexico), is involved in its sustainability plan, with one of its main objectives being to save electric energy. UNAM has some campuses outside of Mexico City, and one of them is the National School of Higher Studies Juriquilla (ENES-J) in the state of Queretaro, where there is the Orthotics and Prosthetics Laboratory (OPL), in which has been installed a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine type Haas Automation model UMC-750, which has 5-axis and is an effective means to reduce the number of setups and increase accuracy for multi-sided and complex parts. This machine will be used to design, build, and assess human prosthesis. This study aimed to contribute to sustainability policies at the ENES-J from UNAM, implementing a solar photovoltaic system (PVS) to deliver electricity to the grid and contribute to reducing the electricity load at the Orthotics and Prosthetics Laboratory (OPL), as well to propose new research lines to support the sustainability policies in universities, and also proposing a financial analysis. To achieve this, in an area of 96.7 m2, 50 solar panels type mono-Si Advance Power API-M330 with an efficiency of 17.83% and a capacity factor of 20.4% will be installed and will provide 17.25 kW of power and 345 kWh of energy. The financial analysis shows the initial costs of 46,575 USD/kW, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs (savings) of 569 USD/kW-year, a monthly electricity export rate of 0.10 USD/kWh, electricity exported to the grid of 21.5 MWh, and an electricity export revenue of 2,145 USD. To assess the environmental balance with this PVS at ENES-J, an analysis of greenhouse gases (GHG) is carried out by using the RETScreen software. In this analysis, a GHG emission factor of 0.45 tCO2/MWh was found, as well as a savings of 12,089 USD per year.

An integrated model of coupled heat and power sectors for large-scale energy system analyses

In Europe and other regions of the world, heat and power sectors are highly coupled. Thus, both sectors are interdependent which poses a challenge when modeling these systems. This paper presents a novel and integrated model framework to analyze coupled heat and power sectors. Said framework is designed to assess large-scale/multi-national systems such as the European continent’s one. The integral model character derives from a model sequence that first models heat demand at individual district heating network level, then determines the heat supply schedules of individual heat generation units in these networks and finally uses an extended version of a pre-existing large-scale market model, the WILMAR Joint Market Model, for electricity market simulations. All models are embedded in a common database environment. In order to validate the model framework, a historical year is chosen, and model outputs are compared to historical market outcomes. For comparison, two alternative, frequently used modeling approaches are equally tested. Results show that the developed model framework is far superior to the alternative modeling approaches. This statement concerns the reproduction of heat demands, power plant dispatch, electricity prices and net electricity exports. The results also suggest that the developed model can yield improved intra-zonal exchange schedules, which are one major driver for congested transmission network elements.

Applications of Wien Automatic System Planning (WASP) Model to Non-Standard Power System Expansion Problems

This paper presents several applications of Wien Automatic System Planning (WASP) tool to address specific modeling challenges encountered in power system expansion planning problems. Although WASP has been used by power system planners around the world for many decades, its standard formulation does not allow the user to explicitly model many situations that can occur in realistic power systems. Examples of such situations include dual-fuel plants, options for electricity exports, energy exchange agreements with neighboring systems, and considering large generating units as candidates in relatively small-size systems. A number of alternative modeling solutions are proposed in the paper based on the authors’ long-term experience in carrying out generation expansion studies for electricity systems of various types and sizes. These solutions demonstrate the flexibility of using WASP to model atypical features of power systems.

Risk Retirement—Decreasing Uncertainty and Informing Consenting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy Development

Marine renewable energy (MRE) is under development in many coastal nations, adding to the portfolio of low carbon energy sources that power national electricity grids as well as off-grid uses in isolated areas and at sea. Progress in establishing the MRE industry, largely wave and tidal energy, has been slowed in part due to uncertainty about environmental risks of these devices, including harm to marine animals and habitats, and the associated concerns of regulators and stakeholders. A process for risk retirement was developed to organize and apply knowledge in a strategic manner that considered whether specific environmental effects are likely to cause harm. The risk retirement process was tested against two key MRE stressors: effects of underwater noise from operational MRE devices on marine animals, and effects of electromagnetic fields from MRE electrical export cables on marine animals. The effects of installation of MRE devices were not accounted for in this analysis. Applying the risk retirement process could decrease the need for costly investigations of each potential effect at every new MRE project site and help move the industry beyond current barriers.

Role of the transmission grid and solar wind complementarity in mitigating the monsoon effect in a fully sustainable electricity system for India

Various assessments have shown abundant renewable energy (RE) potential for India, especially solar. For a fully sustainable power system, monsoon presents an obstacle with the resultant decrease in solar resource availability. In this study, India is subdivided into ten regions, and these regions are interconnected via power lines. A 100% RE transition pathway in hourly resolution, until 2050, is simulated. The results from this paper indicate that the power system can overcome the monsoon hurdle by solar–wind complementarity and grid utilisation. Wind energy output increases in regions that have the best wind conditions with 62% of the total wind energy generated in monsoon. Solar photovoltaic (PV) and grids can manage the unavailability of wind resources in some of the regions. There is a clear indication that imports increase during the monsoon period. The least affected regions such as India-Northwest (IN-NW) can transmit PV electricity to other regions via transmission grids. In the monsoon period, grid utilisation increases by 1.3% from the non-monsoon period to satisfy the respective demand. The two major exporters of electricity, IN-NW and India-South export about 43% of electricity in the monsoon period. These results indicate that no fossil-based balancing is required in the monsoon period.

A poisoned chalice

Astravets is the site of the first Belarusian nuclear power station. In 2012, Belarus and Russia agreed that Russia would fund almost the entire project, and that it would deliver the necessary technology. The power station will produce enough electricity to cover half of today’s consumption in Belarus. For the government, this is a strategically important project, which will significantly impact the energy industry and the political situation in the region. Originally, it was designed primarily for export to the EU. However, the refusal by Lithuania and Poland to purchase electricity from Belarus cut Belarus off from its most important potential electricity export markets. The government is therefore now looking for ways of using the excess nuclear power in its own country. The loan from Russia that was agreed in order to finance the project will place a burden on the Belarusian state budget for many years to come, and will provide the Kremlin with one more way of exercising leverage over Belarus.

Electricity Export to the European Union As a Tool for Renewable Energy Development in Russia

Electricity Export to the European Union As a Tool for Renewable Energy Development in Russia

ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ПРОСТОРІВ ВІДПРАЦЬОВАНИХ КАР’ЄРІВ ДЛЯ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЕНЕРГЕТИЧНОЇ НЕЗАЛЕЖНОСТІ ГІРНИЧОДОБУВНИХ РЕГІОНІВ

Мета. Обґрунтування можливості забезпечення енергетичної незалежності гірничодобувних регіонів за рахунок використання просторів відпрацьованих кар’єрів для виробництва електроенергії та економічної ефективності доопрацювання кар’єрів із одночасним створенням в них маломодульних атомних електростанцій.Методика. Аналіз застосовуваних у світі енергетичних систем, заснованих на використанні енергії атома, дозволив обґрунтувати створення маломодульних атомних електростанцій у просторах відпрацьованих кар'єрах.Результати. Обґрунтовано вид енергетичного комплексу, що розміщується в кар'єрі, тип атомного реактора, його потужність і безпека. Розглянута можливість спорудження атомної станції з одночасним веденням гірничих робіт. Обґрунтовано розташування атомного реактора, при якому б досягалося мінімальне забруднення навколишнього середовища. Встановлено економічну та соціальну ефективність створення атомної станції в кар'єрі.Наукова новизна. Вперше показано можливість розміщення атомної електростанції у просторі відпрацьованого кар’єру із забезпеченням її ресурсами, створенням екологічно безпечної роботи та економічної і соціальної ефективності.Практична цінність. Запропонований варіант розміщення міні атомної електростанції у просторі кар’єру одночасно з його доопрацюванням має соціальну, економічну та екологічну ефективність. Соціальна ефективність складається у перепрофілюванні кар’єру та забезпечення зайнятості населення. Екологічна ефективність полягає у зменшенні екологічного навантаження та рекультивації об’єктів гірничорудного комплексу. Економічна ефективність складається із зменшення собівартості руди, що буде видобуватись при доопрацюванні кар’єру, та близько 1 млрд. доларів операційного прибутку від експорту електроенергії, яку може виробити проектована електростанція.

Growth‐inducing infrastructure represents transformative yet ignored keystone environmental decisions

AbstractAs the defining force of the Anthropocene, human enterprise is reshaping Earth's surface and climate. As part of that process, growth‐inducing infrastructure, such as electrical transmission lines, export facilities, and roads, presents nonincremental changes in where and how natural resources are exploited. These projects open intact areas, induce or intensify industrial development, and accelerate carbon emissions. The direct impacts of large‐scale infrastructure are widely acknowledged and policy and legislation exists to account for them in environmental decisions. Yet, decision makers often ignore the secondary, growth‐induced effects, even though they can outweigh the impacts of the initial development. Given the extensive area and magnitude of such impacts, we argue that regulatory or funding approvals for growth‐inducing infrastructure represent keystone decisions. Credible approval processes require the consideration of the full range of impacts resulting from the ensuing growth. This will necessitate a shift in assessment thinking, from the traditional focus on the immediate project footprint to one that recognizes the sustainability implications of approving infrastructure that will transform the trajectory of development at regional and national scales. We identify the characteristics of growth‐inducing infrastructure and provide an overview of methods and policy that can facilitate a deliberate assessment of these keystone decisions.

Ontological politics of hydrosocial territories in the Salween River basin, Myanmar/Burma

In this paper, we question an often-unchallenged assumption that we all talk about the same ‘thing’ when talking about water. Taking the Salween River in Myanmar as a case study, we draw on a growing body of hydrosocial literature to analyze the multiple ontologies of water. Conceptually, we take each ontology to be constituted of – and enacted within – a human-more-than-human assemblage, the spatiotemporal dimensions of which demarcate a ‘hydrosocial territory.’ We present three illustrations, namely: the role of the Union Government's National Water Resources Committee and how it manifests and is situated within an ontology of ‘modern Water’; a Karen indigenous initiative to establish a Salween Peace Park and an associated revealing of an ‘indigenous’ ontology; and plans for the construction of mainstream hydropower dams and electricity export to neighboring Thailand, where different water ontologies and their hydrosocial territories collide. We examine how multiple ontologies of water are contested through ‘ontological politics’, whereby human actors compete to further their own interests by naturalizing their ontology while marginalizing others. While not downplaying the role violent conflict plays, we argue that in the Salween basin ontological politics are an underappreciated terrain of contestation through which political authority and the power relations that underpin it are (re)produced, with implications for processes of state formation, territorialization and the ongoing peace negotiations.

Evaluation of building and systems performance for a deep domestic retrofit

European governments have set ambitious retrofitting targets driven by the commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050. The United Kingdom has the oldest housing stock in Europe, with over 2/3 of dwellings built before 1976, when building regulations started to include energy efficiency. This raises concerns over carbon emissions, health, comfort and running costs, and government’s set targets and initiatives for significant improvements. Deep retrofitting by using innovative technologies with respect to aesthetics has considerable and measurable benefits, while it can be a costly and challenging process. This study examines a combination of measures undertaken in a pre-1919 dwelling in south Wales, including reduction of energy demand and the application of renewable energy supply and energy storage. A whole house performance and a systems breakdown evaluation is presented comparing the pre and post intervention status. Both monitoring and modelling tools where used, and the performance gap is also discussed. An annual reduction of 34% in space heating and 78% in electricity import was monitored with an additional electricity export of 3217kWh. This represents a total annual cost saving of £1115, at 2019 UK gas and electricity prices. The total cost of the retrofit was £55K.

Radioinactive: Do nuclear power plant outages in France affect the German electricity prices?

Do nuclear power plant outages in France affect the German electricity prices? In the case of the extensive inspections from October 2016 to February 2017 in 12 French nuclear power plants: Yes. This capacity shock increased the French electricity spot market price on average by 27.1%. The German-Austrian electricity spot market price was affected through cross-border trade. Due to increased electricity exports from Germany to France, the German-Austrian electricity spot market price increased on average by 3.2%. Moreover, due to decreased electricity imports from France to Germany, the German-Austrian electricity spot price increased on average by 7.6%. These results derive from a quasi-experimental approach based on coarsened exact matching, where the exogenous nature of the capacity shock is exploited as a random treatment in order to identify causal effects.

Electricity Production from Sugarcane Straw Recovered Through Bale System: Assessment of Retrofit Projects

Sugarcane straw has become available in large quantities in the field due to transition from manual to mechanical harvesting. Straw can be used as fuel for cogeneration systems of sugarcane mills to increase surplus electricity for commercialization. However, the exploitation of straw potential is still limited due to some challenges related to its agricultural recovery and industrial processing. The retrofit (additional installation) of existing sugarcane mills to process straw is an alternative to reduce investment and to allow a gradual utilization of this biomass. In this work, techno-economic and environmental assessment of straw recovery through bale system to increase electricity export was assessed. Two scenarios with straw recovery and processing were defined to take advantage of an existing cogeneration system, considering its operation in the season and off-season periods. An increase of up to 57% on surplus electricity was achieved. Both scenarios resulted in economically feasible alternatives. However, results were very sensitive to the variations on electricity prices and straw costs. In terms of environmental benefits, the bioelectricity presented a great potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions compared with natural gas–based electricity. The higher electricity surplus also affects the carbon intensity of ethanol, which can lead to indirect gains when the Brazilian program for biofuels incentive is implemented.

Long-term economic impacts of energy development scenarios: The role of domestic electricity generation

The development of domestic energy generation is often expected to provide benefits to the economy through, for example, improved energy trade balance and jobs created. However, the economic impacts of energy development scenarios are not limited to the energy sector, and the decision makers must consider the impacts on the entire economy. In this paper, we analyse the full impacts of increased domestic electricity generation in a computable general equilibrium (CGE) framework. Realistic energy development scenarios are modelled using the MESSAGE energy system model and considered to be exogenously described energy pathways that generate responses from the remaining economy. These technically and economically consistent energy scenarios are incorporated into the computable general equilibrium model through the creation of fixed, variable, and investment cost structures for the energy forms considered. Model application in Lithuanian case revealed the interchangeable character of electricity imports and local generation based on a relatively significant share of imported resources. Depending on electricity market conditions, scenarios with higher domestic electricity generation levels might fail to provide substantial economic benefits: although increasing electricity import prices would create preconditions to increase domestic electricity production and turn Lithuania to the net electricity exporter, gross domestic product (GDP) might decrease due to the negative impacts on other economic activities. International cooperation for least-cost clean energy supply might be economically beneficial to energy importing countries and increasing domestic electricity generation should not be set as the ultimate goal.