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Do We Need Gas as a Bridging Fuel? A Case Study of the Electricity System of Switzerland

Author

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  • Paula Díaz

    (Climate Policy Group, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 22, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Oscar Van Vliet

    (Climate Policy Group, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 22, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Anthony Patt

    (Climate Policy Group, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 22, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Many future electricity scenarios, including those from the International Energy Agency, use natural gas to bridge the transition to renewables, in particular as a means of balancing intermittent generation from new renewables. Given that such strategies may be inconsistent with strategies to limit climate change to below 2 °C, we address the question of whether such use of gas is necessary or cost effective. We conduct a techno-economic case study of Switzerland, using a cost optimization model. We explore a range of electricity costs, comparing scenarios in which gas is used as a source of base-load power, a source of balancing capacity, and not used at all. Costs at the high end of the range show that a complete decarbonization increases system-wide costs by 3% compared to a gas bridging scenario, and 13–46% compared to a carbon-intensive scenario, depending on the relative shares of solar and wind. Costs at the low end of the range show that system-wide costs are equal or lower for both completely decarbonized and gas bridging scenarios. In conclusion, gas delivers little to no cost savings as a bridging fuel in a system that switches to wind and solar.

Suggested Citation

  • Paula Díaz & Oscar Van Vliet & Anthony Patt, 2017. "Do We Need Gas as a Bridging Fuel? A Case Study of the Electricity System of Switzerland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-15, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:7:p:861-:d:102898
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Plum, Christiane & Olschewski, Roland & Jobin, Marilou & van Vliet, Oscar, 2019. "Public preferences for the Swiss electricity system after the nuclear phase-out: A choice experiment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 181-196.
    7. Jenny Lieu & Niki Artemis Spyridaki & Rocio Alvarez-Tinoco & Wytze Van der Gaast & Andreas Tuerk & Oscar Van Vliet, 2018. "Evaluating Consistency in Environmental Policy Mixes through Policy, Stakeholder, and Contextual Interactions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-26, June.
    8. Xexakis, Georgios & Hansmann, Ralph & Volken, Sandra P. & Trutnevyte, Evelina, 2020. "Models on the wrong track: Model-based electricity supply scenarios in Switzerland are not aligned with the perspectives of energy experts and the public," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    9. Martin Rüdisüli & Sinan L. Teske & Urs Elber, 2019. "Impacts of an Increased Substitution of Fossil Energy Carriers with Electricity-Based Technologies on the Swiss Electricity System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-38, June.
    10. Jobin, Marilou & Siegrist, Michael, 2018. "We choose what we like – Affect as a driver of electricity portfolio choice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 736-747.
    11. Kateryna Yakovenko & Matúš Mišík, 2020. "Cooperation and Security: Examining the Political Discourse on Natural Gas Transit in Ukraine and Slovakia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.

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