Sandrine Wachon is a Visiting Researcher in the Utilities & Renewables Department at KAPSARC, with extensive expertise in power sector reforms, regulation, and market design. Her career began at RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Électricité), the French transmission system operator (TSO), where she managed projects in Southeast Europe, including establishing Serbia’s TSO. She later led international business development at EPEX SPOT, founding power exchanges in Hungary and Serbia and contributing to the expansion fo the European internal power market. Sandrine advised public authorities globally on power trading and financial clearing solutions. Since 2022, she has worked as an independent consultant, advising on impact investments in energy and power market organisation and design. Additionally, she lectures in environmental economics at the University of Corsica and has previously taught at La Sorbonne. Sandrine holds a Ph.D. in Economics from La Sorbonne, a degree in Vietnamese from Langues’O, and is an alumna of the European Executive Programme at the École Nationale d’Administration.
The Dynamics of Variable Renewable Energy Integration: A Multi-Dimensional Framework for Future Power Systems
This paper examines the impacts of integrating a high share of variable renewable energy (VRE) on power systems and markets, proposing a multi-dimensional framework to analyze its technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. A structured literature review and topic modeling are employed, and key constraints, incentives, signals, and risks associated with VRE integration are identified. The authors then propose measures to address the key challenges posed by VRE at different stages of system penetration. The analysis is illustrated with practical examples from diverse electricity systems worldwide, demonstrating a common set of solutions applied across different countries, each with distinct legal, regulatory, and technical contexts. A holistic approach – combining technological innovation, adaptive governance, and coordinated policy – will be crucial for ensuring an affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity supply in a VRE-dominant future.
18th May 2025