At this event, Kamal Chowdhury and Thomas B. Wild will discuss their research on optimizing grid decarbonization with a focus on China and South America.
Abstract: Achieving economy-wide deep decarbonization requires meeting increased electricity demand from end-use electrification and enhanced integration of intermittent wind and solar power, exacerbating operational challenges for future power grids. This study employs a coupled framework of an integrated assessment model and a power system model–specifically, the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) and GridPath – to investigate these challenges across multiple sectors and spatiotemporal scales. GCAM facilitates a comprehensive analysis of economy-wide deep decarbonization, considering feedback and constraints on interconnected climate, water, land, and socio-economic systems, but with low spatiotemporal scales (e.g., regional and annual) due to broad sectoral and global coverage. GridPath, on the other hand, provides detailed power sector analysis, including hourly electricity dispatch and associated risks and costs. The coupled framework enables us to investigate the implications of decarbonization pathways on grid operations while accounting for the impacts on and constraints from interconnected sectors and global changes. Our analysis focuses on the China Southern Power Grid (CSPG) and South America' s Mercosur sub-region, offering insights from coal-dependent and hydropower-dependent grids, respectively. In particular, concerns over energy security and grid reliability drive a recent surge in coal power plants in CSPG, potentially hindering emission reduction goals. We explore alternatives to coal, such as battery storage, demand management, and cross-region balancing, to support the integration of intermittent renewable resources. Conversely, in the Mercosur sub-region, we examine the impacts of climate change on the region's vast hydropower resources and its implications for the future decarbonized grid. Our findings from these two case studies provide valuable insights into the operational challenges and potential solutions for future power grids globally.