PLANETS Project Home PLANETS Project - Probabilistic Long-Term Assessment of New Energy Technology Scenarios

WP 4 Technology assessments II

Objectives

The aim of this WP is to develop an assessment methodology which can analyse the contribution from near- and medium-term technological options in energy scenario modelling, considering the limitations and possibilities imposed by the present energy system. Thus, the focus is on bridging technologies, which can benefit from the existing energy infrastructure and therefore serve as low-cost CO2 mitigation options. The hypothesis is that such technologies under certain conditions can have a decisive influence on the longer-term development of the energy system as a whole. The work will benefit from databases of the European energy infrastructure available within the consortium.


Description of work

Task 4.1: Existing infrastructures

Partners: CHALMERS and LEI

This task aims at analyzing the possibilities and limitations imposed by the present energy infrastructure and how this influences the probability of the expansion of different technology options. Technologies are identified which can be established within the existing energy infrastructure and the potential is evaluated of applying the selected set of technologies within the current power generation system. The work under this workpackage will focus on the European power generation system for which CHALMERS has developed detailed databases describing for example power plants, power plant sites, fuel infrastructures and carbon sequestration sites. Such energy infrastructure databases allow for assessing the rate at which the energy system can be replaced and upgraded. Thus, the rationale behind this workpackage is the observation that the current energy system will play an important role for several decades to come and that technological options can be identified which can take advantage of the existing system by means of offering cost efficient options which can be integrated in the existing power plant infrastructure. Examples of such integration possibilities are the use of excess low temperature heat and the integration of biomass based systems in fossil-fuel-fired power plants, such as indirect gasification systems. In particular, there is a need to find a methodology for evaluating possibilities for the introduction of CO2 capture and storage technologies.

 

Task 4.2: Bridging technologies

Partners: CHALMERS and LEI

This task aims at assessing the near-term CO2 mitigation options that are normally not included in energy systems modelling, but which may provide significant low-cost near-to-medium term mitigation possibilities. These technologies may also influence the long-term energy system development, and as such are studied in the context of workpackage 3 as well. The aim of this task is to develop an assessment methodology that can analyse the contribution from near- and medium-term technological options to energy scenario modelling, and constitutes therefore essential input for workpackage 5 and 6. This task also considers the limitations and possibilities imposed by the present energy system, and therefore builds on the work as done under task 1. The focus here is on the bridging technologies, which can benefit from the existing energy infrastructure and therefore serve as low-cost CO2 mitigation options. We suspect that these technologies can have a decisive influence on the longer-term development of the totality of the energy system. In energy economic systems models, these technological options are at best characterised in a generic way. These models cannot correctly reflect the performance of such technologies, since the diffusion of these options depends on a diverse set of technical and economic parameters, including the characteristics of the present energy system. This task compensates for this modelling deficiency. Under this task also a selection of technologies is realized that are deemed useful and suitable for further analysis under task 3 of this workpackage.


Task 4.3: Database analysis

Partner: CHALMERS

For the purpose of the analysis under this task, technology-specific methodologies are developed that make use of the CHALMERS databases in the power generation sector and that are applied to the options as identified under task 2. Power plant databases are available at several other institutes partner in the consortium, e.g. at USTUTT. The database methodologies serve as robust tools for investigating the technical potentials for implementing these selected options over time. Especially potentials for near-term diffusion of the technologies can be assessed in an efficient way. Examples of technologies that could be assessed are: the co-firing of biomass in fossil fuelled power plants; the gasification of biomass by means of indirect gasification processes; carbon dioxide capture and storage; and poly-generation systems to meet variations in available wind power. The selected technologies will be characterized through a quantification of possible scale effects and related dynamics processes. The focus is on evaluating how near to medium term supply technology options can be implemented in the existing energy infrastructure. Transaction costs for the type of options considered may well be lower than for the demand side. For the latter it is well known that the transaction costs are high, and that mitigation measures with excessive costs are not implemented. For the supply side, once low-cost options have been identified, their implementation should rely on business logics and not on consumer preferences. The hypothesis to be tested under this task is that bridging technologies act as early movers in transforming the energy system.


Workpackage 4 is carried out under the co-ordination of CHALMERS

Seventh Framework Programme

This website reflects only the views of the PLANETS Consortium and does not represent the opinion of the European Community.
The European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.