Electricity transmission formulations in multi-sector national planning models: An illustration using the KAPSARC energy model

  • Focus Area -
  • Type KAPSARC journal article
  • Date 1 June 2018
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the policy-relevant effects of incorporating a more proper representation of electricity transmission in multi-sector national policy models. This goal is achieved by employing the KAPSARC Energy Model (KEM), which is the first publicly available large-scale energy policy model for Saudi Arabia. Past studies using KEM have examined industrial pricing policy, residential energy efficiency, the prospects of power generation technologies, and residential electricity pricing. These studies have shown that under certain fuel pricing scenarios, significant renewable energy capacity is deployed. With large-scale renewable technologies introduced in the power system, representing transmission more appropriately becomes important. By incorporating a direct current optimal flow model, our results show • the optimal investment in utility-scale photovoltaics are 30 percent lower, and the weighted average marginal costs of delivering electricity are 100 percent higher, compared to a model that has a transshipment formulation,• a version of KEM with a single node in each region for transmission and without transmission losses provides valuable insight while keeping the model size tractable,• the market-clearing price of natural gas in a deregulated environment modifies slightly, demonstrating that a transmission component predominantly affects the operations of the power system. Although the scarcity of natural gas increases slightly due to lower PV deployment, its greater use by power generators is minor. © 2018 The Authors

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352484717302986

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Authors

Walid Matar

Walid Matar

Research Fellow Walid works on modeling energy systems. He is developing or has developed the following components of the KAPSARC Energy Model…

Walid works on modeling energy systems. He is developing or has developed the following components of the KAPSARC Energy Model (KEM): electric power generation, oil refining, petrochemicals and fertilizers, cement production, and iron and steel. He is also working on a bottom-up residential electricity use framework that merges microeconomics with the physical laws governing electricity use.

Expertise

  • Energy Systems Modeling
  • Optimization
  • Electricity Prices
  • Energy Efficiency and the Interdisciplinary Connection Between Energy Economics and Engineering

Publications See all Walid Matar’s publications

Amro Elshurafa

Amro Elshurafa

Executive Director Dr. Elshurafa is the Executive Director of the Utilities and Renewables Department and possesses 20+ years of experience garnered on…

Dr. Elshurafa is the Executive Director of the Utilities and Renewables Department and possesses 20+ years of experience garnered on three continents. His research interests lie in renewable energy policy, electricity market design and regulation, and power systems modeling. He has led and executed several national modeling initiatives at distributed and utility scales. Some aspects of his research have been adopted by BP in their seminal annual Statistical Review. He is listed among the top 2% scientists globally as per Stanford, and he is a board member of the Saudi Water and Electricity Regulatory Authority. Credited with 50+ papers and patents, he holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and an MBA in Finance.

Expertise

  • Renewable Energy Policy
  • Electricity Market Design and Regulation
  • Power Sector Modeling

Publications See all Amro Elshurafa’s publications

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