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Chasing the eternal sun: Does a global super grid favor the deployment of solar power?

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  • Kan, Xiaoming
  • Hedenus, Fredrik
  • Reichenberg, Lina

Abstract

The One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative advocates the development of a Global super grid for sharing renewable energy, especially solar energy. This study evaluates the economic benefits of such a Global super grid, which connects six large regions spanning from Australia to the US, utilizing a detailed energy system optimization model and considering heterogeneous discount rates among countries. Integrating the six regions into a Global super grid reduces the electricity system cost by 3.8 % compared to isolating them. In contrast, grid expansion within each region reduces the electricity system cost by 13 % on average. The economic benefits of the OSOWOG initiative's Global super grid expansion seem to be rather limited. Moreover, the allowance for a Global super grid consistently results in decreased investments in solar power, indicating that it is not an effective strategy for enhancing the deployment of solar power, even when transmission grids covering 18 time zones are available.

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  • Kan, Xiaoming & Hedenus, Fredrik & Reichenberg, Lina, 2025. "Chasing the eternal sun: Does a global super grid favor the deployment of solar power?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:211:y:2025:i:c:s1364032124009985
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.115272
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