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The role of highly energy-efficient dwellings in enabling 100% renewable electricity

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  • Jack, M.W.
  • Mirfin, A.
  • Anderson, B.

Abstract

One of the key challenges to achieving high-percentages of renewable electricity supply is the temporal mismatch between non-dispatchable renewable supply and peaks in electricity demand. These challenges become more pronounced as the timescale of this mismatch extends to seasons. Standard policies emphasise supply-side solutions that will result in underutilized supply, storage and transmission infrastructure, and significantly increased decarbonisation costs. Less attention has been placed on demand-side solutions and, in particular, the potential role of high-performance buildings in reducing the demand for electrical heating in winter, addressing the seasonal supply-demand mismatch. This paper quantifies the potential future reduction in winter electrical heating that could be achieved through widespread uptake of energy efficient dwellings in New Zealand - a country with a high percentage of renewable electricity. The results show that rapid uptake of currently achievable best-practice standards could reduce the winter-summer demand variation by 3/4 from business as usual by 2050. Therefore, New Zealand, and other countries with seasonal peaks in space heating/cooling demand, should urgently adjust policy settings to mandate highly energy-efficient housing for new-builds and retrofits in order to deliver a least cost low-carbon energy transition, which also captures the well-known social and health co-benefits of improved dwelling performance.

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  • Jack, M.W. & Mirfin, A. & Anderson, B., 2021. "The role of highly energy-efficient dwellings in enabling 100% renewable electricity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:158:y:2021:i:c:s0301421521004353
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112565
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