Implications of intercontinental renewable electricity trade for energy systems and emissions

Fei Guo; Bas J. van Ruijven; Behnam Zakeri; Shining Zhang; Xing Chen; Changyi Liu; Fang Yang; Volker Krey; Keywan Riahi; Han Huang; Yuanbing Zhou

doi:10.1038/s41560-022-01136-0

Implications of intercontinental renewable electricity trade for energy systems and emissions

Fei Guo, Bas J. van Ruijven^*, Behnam Zakeri, Shining Zhang, Xing Chen, Changyi Liu, Fang Yang, Volker Krey, Keywan Riahi, Han Huang, Yuanbing Zhou

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Thermal Engineering (3070)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A rapid global energy transition, including the ramping up of electricity generation from renewables, is needed to limit global warming to 2 °C or 1.5 °C. However, renewable resource endowments vary widely between regions, and renewable electricity is currently mainly used locally. Here we use a global integrated assessment model to explore the implications of renewable electricity trade via a set of planned direct-current-type ultra-high-voltage (UHVDC) transmission lines for global energy transition and climate change. We find that renewable electricity trade across large world regions via the underlying UHVDC interconnection can boost renewable electricity production and reduce 2020–2100 cumulative CO₂ emissions from the power sector up to 9.8%. Financial investments in the UHVDC lines are offset in the long term by reduced investments in other electricity-generation options, including nuclear and storage. Finally, we find that renewable electricity trade can substantially reduce air pollutant emissions in importing regions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1144-1156
Number of pages	13
Journal	Nature Energy
Volume	7
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01136-0
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41560-022-01136-0

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title = "Implications of intercontinental renewable electricity trade for energy systems and emissions",

abstract = "A rapid global energy transition, including the ramping up of electricity generation from renewables, is needed to limit global warming to 2 °C or 1.5 °C. However, renewable resource endowments vary widely between regions, and renewable electricity is currently mainly used locally. Here we use a global integrated assessment model to explore the implications of renewable electricity trade via a set of planned direct-current-type ultra-high-voltage (UHVDC) transmission lines for global energy transition and climate change. We find that renewable electricity trade across large world regions via the underlying UHVDC interconnection can boost renewable electricity production and reduce 2020–2100 cumulative CO2 emissions from the power sector up to 9.8%. Financial investments in the UHVDC lines are offset in the long term by reduced investments in other electricity-generation options, including nuclear and storage. Finally, we find that renewable electricity trade can substantially reduce air pollutant emissions in importing regions.",

author = "Fei Guo and {van Ruijven}, {Bas J.} and Behnam Zakeri and Shining Zhang and Xing Chen and Changyi Liu and Fang Yang and Volker Krey and Keywan Riahi and Han Huang and Yuanbing Zhou",

note = "Funding Information: The authors declare the following competing interests: this research has been funded by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), which explores the potential for a global UHV network. S.Z., X.C., C.L., F.Y., H.H. and Y.Z. are employed by the funder of this research and contributed to the preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare no competing interests. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41560-022-01136-0",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "1144--1156",

journal = "Nature Energy",

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AU - Guo, Fei

AU - van Ruijven, Bas J.

AU - Zakeri, Behnam

AU - Zhang, Shining

AU - Chen, Xing

AU - Liu, Changyi

AU - Yang, Fang

AU - Krey, Volker

AU - Riahi, Keywan

AU - Huang, Han

AU - Zhou, Yuanbing

N1 - Funding Information: The authors declare the following competing interests: this research has been funded by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), which explores the potential for a global UHV network. S.Z., X.C., C.L., F.Y., H.H. and Y.Z. are employed by the funder of this research and contributed to the preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare no competing interests. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - A rapid global energy transition, including the ramping up of electricity generation from renewables, is needed to limit global warming to 2 °C or 1.5 °C. However, renewable resource endowments vary widely between regions, and renewable electricity is currently mainly used locally. Here we use a global integrated assessment model to explore the implications of renewable electricity trade via a set of planned direct-current-type ultra-high-voltage (UHVDC) transmission lines for global energy transition and climate change. We find that renewable electricity trade across large world regions via the underlying UHVDC interconnection can boost renewable electricity production and reduce 2020–2100 cumulative CO2 emissions from the power sector up to 9.8%. Financial investments in the UHVDC lines are offset in the long term by reduced investments in other electricity-generation options, including nuclear and storage. Finally, we find that renewable electricity trade can substantially reduce air pollutant emissions in importing regions.

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Implications of intercontinental renewable electricity trade for energy systems and emissions

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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