IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v185y2017ip1p421-439.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Should China focus on the distributed development of wind and solar photovoltaic power generation? A comparative study

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Bing
  • Yu, Yixin
  • Qin, Chao

Abstract

Major wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation are being developed in China. The following 2 development schemes operate in parallel: large-scale wind and solar PV power is generated by 10-GW wind and solar PV power bases in Western China and then transmitted to the central and eastern load centres through cross-regional long-distance transmission lines; wind and solar PV power are also generated and consumed locally in the load centres across the central and eastern regions of China. The first scheme can be called the “large-scale and long-distance transmission” (LSLDT) scheme, and the second can be called the “local consumption” (LC) scheme. The choice of development scheme has significant effects on China’s industrial sector. To determine which is better, we compare the two development schemes from the following 2 perspectives: in the view of renewable energy electricity integration ratio (REIR), 3 development scenarios, i.e., only adopting the LC scheme, only adopting the LSLDT scheme and adopting the LC and LSLDT schemes in parallel, are compared; in terms of total social cost, 4 specific schemes, i.e., developing wind power by centralized wind-thermal bundling with long-distance transmission (Scheme A), developing solar PV power by centralized solar-thermal bundling with long-distance transmission (Scheme B), developing wind power with the distributed wind power generation (Scheme C), and developing solar PV power with the distributed solar PV power generation (Scheme D), are compared. Scheme A and Scheme B belong to the LSLDT scheme, and Scheme C and Scheme D belong to the LC scheme. Mathematical models to calculate the maximum REIR are proposed, and methods to calculate the total social cost are introduced. To establish a mathematical model of the maximum REIR of the LSLDT scheme, a method to make reasonable bundling plans of the LSLDT scheme is suggested. To solve the mathematical models, a two-stage strategy is proposed to search for feasible solutions to unit commitment. Additionally, as many engineering problems related to the renewable energy power generation of China are still under discussion, 15 hypotheses are proposed to overcome the difficulties arising from various uncertainties. Under given assessment conditions, we find that the maximum REIR of only adopting the LC scheme is much higher than only adopting the LSLDT scheme or adopting the LC and LSLDT schemes in parallel. Additionally, the values of total social cost per kilowatt-hour electricity of Scheme A and Scheme B will be lower than those of Scheme C and Scheme D soon. Therefore, in the case of providing the main regulation capacity by thermal power units, the LC scheme, especially distributed wind and solar PV power generation, should be focused on in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Bing & Yu, Yixin & Qin, Chao, 2017. "Should China focus on the distributed development of wind and solar photovoltaic power generation? A comparative study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 421-439.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:185:y:2017:i:p1:p:421-439
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.11.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261916315884
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.11.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Wen & Lund, Henrik & Mathiesen, Brian Vad, 2011. "Large-scale integration of wind power into the existing Chinese energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(8), pages 4753-4760.
    2. Liu, Wen & Lund, Henrik & Mathiesen, Brian Vad & Zhang, Xiliang, 2011. "Potential of renewable energy systems in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(2), pages 518-525, February.
    3. Hui, Jingxuan & Cai, Wenjia & Wang, Can & Ye, Minhua, 2017. "Analyzing the penetration barriers of clean generation technologies in China’s power sector using a multi-region optimization model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1809-1820.
    4. Li, Ying & Lukszo, Zofia & Weijnen, Margot, 2015. "The implications of CO2 price for China’s power sector decarbonization," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 53-64.
    5. Woo, C.K. & Sreedharan, P. & Hargreaves, J. & Kahrl, F. & Wang, J. & Horowitz, I., 2014. "A review of electricity product differentiation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 262-272.
    6. Yang, Mian & Patiño-Echeverri, Dalia & Yang, Fuxia, 2012. "Wind power generation in China: Understanding the mismatch between capacity and generation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 145-151.
    7. Nahid-Al-Masood, & Yan, Ruifeng & Saha, Tapan Kumar, 2015. "A new tool to estimate maximum wind power penetration level: In perspective of frequency response adequacy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 209-220.
    8. Zhang, Xiaohong & Wu, Liqian & Zhang, Rong & Deng, Shihuai & Zhang, Yanzong & Wu, Jun & Li, Yuanwei & Lin, Lili & Li, Li & Wang, Yinjun & Wang, Lilin, 2013. "Evaluating the relationships among economic growth, energy consumption, air emissions and air environmental protection investment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 259-270.
    9. Yuan, Chaoqing & Liu, Sifeng & Yang, Yingjie & Chen, Ding & Fang, Zhigeng & Shui, Lulu, 2014. "An analysis on investment policy effect of China’s photovoltaic industry based on feedback model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 423-428.
    10. LaCommare, Kristina Hamachi & Eto, Joseph H., 2006. "Cost of power interruptions to electricity consumers in the United States (US)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(12), pages 1845-1855.
    11. Pei, Wei & Chen, Yanning & Sheng, Kun & Deng, Wei & Du, Yan & Qi, Zhiping & Kong, Li, 2015. "Temporal-spatial analysis and improvement measures of Chinese power system for wind power curtailment problem," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 148-168.
    12. Kaldellis, J.K. & Kavadias, K.A. & Filios, A.E., 2009. "A new computational algorithm for the calculation of maximum wind energy penetration in autonomous electrical generation systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(7-8), pages 1011-1023, July.
    13. Sun, Honghang & Zhi, Qiang & Wang, Yibo & Yao, Qiang & Su, Jun, 2014. "China’s solar photovoltaic industry development: The status quo, problems and approaches," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 221-230.
    14. Zhi, Qiang & Sun, Honghang & Li, Yanxi & Xu, Yurui & Su, Jun, 2014. "China’s solar photovoltaic policy: An analysis based on policy instruments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 308-319.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wu, Qiyan & Zhang, Xiaoling & Sun, Jingwei & Ma, Zhifei & Zhou, Chen, 2016. "Locked post-fossil consumption of urban decentralized solar photovoltaic energy: A case study of an on-grid photovoltaic power supply community in Nanjing, China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1-11.
    2. You, Wei & Geng, Yong & Dong, Huijuan & Wilson, Jeffrey & Pan, Hengyu & Wu, Rui & Sun, Lu & Zhang, Xi & Liu, Zhiqing, 2018. "Technical and economic assessment of RES penetration by modelling China's existing energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 900-910.
    3. Ye, Liang-Cheng & Rodrigues, João F.D. & Lin, Hai Xiang, 2017. "Analysis of feed-in tariff policies for solar photovoltaic in China 2011–2016," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 496-505.
    4. Ruyin Long & Wenhua Cui & Qianwen Li, 2017. "The Evolution and Effect Evaluation of Photovoltaic Industry Policy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-40, November.
    5. Lam, J.C.K. & Woo, C.K. & Kahrl, F. & Yu, W.K., 2013. "What moves wind energy development in China? Show me the money!," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 423-429.
    6. Kayser, Dirk, 2016. "Solar photovoltaic projects in China: High investment risks and the need for institutional response," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 144-152.
    7. Tu, Qiang & Betz, Regina & Mo, Jianlei & Fan, Ying, 2019. "The profitability of onshore wind and solar PV power projects in China - A comparative study," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 404-417.
    8. Zhang, Lingxian & Wang, Jieqiong & Wen, Haojie & Fu, Zetian & Li, Xinxing, 2016. "Operating performance, industry agglomeration and its spatial characteristics of Chinese photovoltaic industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 373-386.
    9. Zhang, Peipei & Sun, Mei & Zhang, Xiaoling & Gao, Cuixia, 2017. "Who are leading the change? The impact of China’s leading PV enterprises: A complex network analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 477-493.
    10. Liu, Wen & Hu, Weihao & Lund, Henrik & Chen, Zhe, 2013. "Electric vehicles and large-scale integration of wind power – The case of Inner Mongolia in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 445-456.
    11. Shangfeng Han & Baosheng Zhang & Xiaoyang Sun & Song Han & Mikael Höök, 2017. "China’s Energy Transition in the Power and Transport Sectors from a Substitution Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, April.
    12. Bossink, Bart A.G., 2017. "Demonstrating sustainable energy: A review based model of sustainable energy demonstration projects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1349-1362.
    13. Valentine, Scott Victor, 2014. "The socio-political economy of electricity generation in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 416-429.
    14. Li, X. & Hubacek, K. & Siu, Y.L., 2012. "Wind power in China – Dream or reality?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 51-60.
    15. Mathiesen, B.V. & Lund, H. & Connolly, D. & Wenzel, H. & Østergaard, P.A. & Möller, B. & Nielsen, S. & Ridjan, I. & Karnøe, P. & Sperling, K. & Hvelplund, F.K., 2015. "Smart Energy Systems for coherent 100% renewable energy and transport solutions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 139-154.
    16. Ye, Lin & Zhang, Cihang & Xue, Hui & Li, Jiachen & Lu, Peng & Zhao, Yongning, 2019. "Study of assessment on capability of wind power accommodation in regional power grids," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 647-662.
    17. Zhang, Fang & Deng, Hao & Margolis, Robert & Su, Jun, 2015. "Analysis of distributed-generation photovoltaic deployment, installation time and cost, market barriers, and policies in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 43-55.
    18. Woo, C.K. & Chen, Y. & Olson, A. & Moore, J. & Schlag, N. & Ong, A. & Ho, T., 2017. "Electricity price behavior and carbon trading: New evidence from California," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 531-543.
    19. Han, Mengyao & Xiong, Jiao & Wang, Siyuan & Yang, Yu, 2020. "Chinese photovoltaic poverty alleviation: Geographic distribution, economic benefits and emission mitigation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    20. Xiaoyan Sun & Wenwei Lian & Hongmei Duan & Anjian Wang, 2021. "Factors Affecting Wind Power Efficiency: Evidence from Provincial-Level Data in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:185:y:2017:i:p1:p:421-439. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.