Flexibility options in a multi-regional whole-energy system: the role of energy carriers in the Italian energy transition

Thiran, Paolo;Hernandez, Aurélia;Limpens, Gauthier;Matteo Giacomo Prina;Contino, Francesco;et.al.
(2021) The 34th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems — Location: Taormina, Italy (27.June.2021)

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Integration of a high share of intermittent renewable energy sources is essential to reach a fossil free energy system. In the southern European countries, solar energy appears as an ideal candidate. Due to the spatial and temporal disparity of such an energy source, it faces two main challenges: (i) the seasonal pattern of solar irradiation induces a need for long-term storage; (ii) the locations with the biggest solar potential are not close to the major places of consumption. Many studies have shown the interest of the electro-fuels (e.g. hydrogen) as long-term storage and energy carriers. However, their integration in a whole and multi-regional energy system is rarely studied. This work addresses the following two questions: What will be the contribution of the electro-fuels as energy carriers and longterm storage? How can the different regions collaborate to reach a fossil free energy system at the lowest cost? We applied a whole and multi-regional energy model, EnergyScope Multi-Cell, to the Italian energy system of 2050. Italy is divided into 3 interconnected regions or cells: the North, the Centre, and the South. The country has a large solar potential in the South and high energy demand in the North. In the modelled scenario, Italy does not reach a self-sufficient renewable energy system. It imports 7.7% of its primary energy as electricity and 1.4% as green hydrogen. The North is responsible for 88% of those imports. The overall system relies on high electrification of the demand, sector-coupling, and exchanges between regions to integrate high shares of renewable energy sources (RES). The disparity of RES potentials and end-use demand among regions drives exchanges of electricity (58 TWh/year), synthetic gas (20 TWh/year), and woody biomass (7 TWh/year) between them. In particular, the South produces an excess of energy and export it to the two other regions.
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Thiran, P., Hernandez, A., Limpens, G., Matteo Giacomo Prina, Jeanmart, H., & Contino, F. (2021). Flexibility options in a multi-regional whole-energy system: the role of energy carriers in the Italian energy transition. The 34th International Conference on Efficiency, Cost, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy Systems, Taormina, Italy. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/228719