Work

Resource Adequacy and Capital Cost Considerations Pertaining to Large Electric Grids Powered by Wind, Solar, Storage, Gas, and Nuclear

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The capacity and generation of wind, solar, storage, nuclear, and gas are estimated for large, idealized copper plate electric grids. Wind/solar penetrations of 30% to 80% are considered together with different storage systems such as vanadium and lithium-ion batteries, pumped hydroelectric, compressed air, and hydrogen. In addition to a baseline dispatchable fleet without wind/solar, two bounding cases with wind/solar are analyzed: one without storage and one where the whole wind/solar fleet is connected to the storage system, hence providing a buffer between the wind/solar fleet and the grid. The reality will likely be somewhere between these bounding cases. The viability of a power grid with a large wind/solar penetration and no storage is not guaranteed but was nonetheless considered to provide a lower bound capital cost estimate. Overall, the options that rely strongly on wind/solar/storage may be more capital intensive than those that rely strongly on nuclear depending on the amount of storage necessary to ensure grid stability. This is especially true in the long run because wind/solar/storage assets have shorter operational lives than nuclear plants and, consequently, need to be replaced more frequently. More analyses (including grid stability and public acceptance) are necessary to determine which option is most likely to provide the path of least resistance to powering a clean, affordable and reliable grid in a timely manner. Depending on the priorities, the path of least resistance may not necessarily be the one that is less capital intensive.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en18102563

Authors: Gilles Youinou, Eric J. Dufek, Jason Hansen

Institution: Idaho National Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Integrated Energy Systems Optimization

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137