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A geographically disaggregated approach to integrate low-carbon technologies across local electricity networks

Author

Listed:
  • Sheridan Few

    (Imperial College London
    University of Leeds)

  • Predrag Djapic

    (Imperial College London)

  • Goran Strbac

    (Imperial College London)

  • Jenny Nelson

    (Imperial College London
    Imperial College London)

  • Chiara Candelise

    (Imperial College London
    Bocconi University)

Abstract

Meeting climate targets requires widespread deployment of low-carbon technologies such as distributed photovoltaics, heat pumps and electric vehicles. Without mitigating actions, changing power flows associated with these technologies would adversely impact some local networks. The extent of these impacts, and the optimal means of avoiding them, remains unclear. Here we use local-level data and network simulation to estimate variation in future network upgrade costs in over 40,000 geographical regions comprising all of Great Britain. We find that costs vary substantially between localities, and are typically highest in urban areas, and areas with highest deployment of heat pumps and electric vehicles. We estimate reductions in required upgrades associated with local flexibility, which vary substantially between localities. We show that using geographically disaggregated data to inform flexibility deployment across the country could reduce network upgrade costs by hundreds of millions of pounds relative to an approach that treats localities as homogeneous.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheridan Few & Predrag Djapic & Goran Strbac & Jenny Nelson & Chiara Candelise, 2024. "A geographically disaggregated approach to integrate low-carbon technologies across local electricity networks," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(7), pages 871-882, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:9:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41560-024-01542-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-024-01542-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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