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Smart renewable electricity portfolios in West Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Sebastian Sterl

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    KU Leuven
    University of Bonn)

  • Inne Vanderkelen

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Celray James Chawanda

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Daniel Russo

    (International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA))

  • Robert J. Brecha

    (University of Dayton
    University of Dayton
    Climate Analytics)

  • Ann Griensven

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education)

  • Nicole P. M. Lipzig

    (KU Leuven)

  • Wim Thiery

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Abstract

The worldwide growth of variable renewable power sources necessitates power system flexibility to safeguard the reliability of electricity supply. Yet today, flexibility is mostly delivered by fossil fuel power plants. Hydropower can be a renewable alternative source of flexibility, but only if operated according to adequate strategies considering hourly-to-decadal and local-to-regional energy and water needs. Here, we present a new model to investigate hydro–solar–wind complementarities across these scales. We demonstrate that smart management of present and future hydropower plants in West Africa can support substantial grid integration of solar and wind power, limiting natural gas consumption while avoiding ecologically harmful hydropower overexploitation. We show that pooling regional resources and planning transmission grid expansion according to spatiotemporal hydro–solar–wind synergies are crucial for optimally exploiting West Africa’s renewable potential. By 2030, renewable electricity in such a regional power pool, with solar and wind contributing about 50%, could be at least 10% cheaper than electricity from natural gas.

Suggested Citation

  • Sebastian Sterl & Inne Vanderkelen & Celray James Chawanda & Daniel Russo & Robert J. Brecha & Ann Griensven & Nicole P. M. Lipzig & Wim Thiery, 2020. "Smart renewable electricity portfolios in West Africa," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(9), pages 710-719, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:3:y:2020:i:9:d:10.1038_s41893-020-0539-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0539-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Jose M. Gonzalez & James E. Tomlinson & Eduardo A. Martínez Ceseña & Mohammed Basheer & Emmanuel Obuobie & Philip T. Padi & Salifu Addo & Rasheed Baisie & Mikiyas Etichia & Anthony Hurford & Andrea Bo, 2023. "Designing diversified renewable energy systems to balance multisector performance," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(4), pages 415-427, April.
    2. Grace C. Wu & Ranjit Deshmukh & Anne Trainor & Anagha Uppal & A. F. M. Kamal Chowdhury & Carlos Baez & Erik Martin & Jonathan Higgins & Ana Mileva & Kudakwashe Ndhlukula, 2024. "Avoiding ecosystem and social impacts of hydropower, wind, and solar in Southern Africa’s low-carbon electricity system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Hamagham Peter Ishaku & Humphrey Adun & Moein Jazayeri & Mehmet Kusaf, 2022. "Decarbonisation Strategy for Renewable Energy Integration for Electrification of West African Nations: A Bottom-Up EnergyPLAN Modelling of West African Power Pool Targets," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-36, November.
    4. Ishaya Tambari & Pierre Failler, 2020. "Determining If Oil Prices Significantly Affect Renewable Energy Investment in African Countries with Energy Security Concerns," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Gilmore, J. & Nolan, T. & Simshauser, P., 2022. "The Levelised Cost of Frequency Control Ancillary Services in Australia’s National Electricity Market," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2203, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    6. Bomian Zhang & Jinghui Chen & Weiyi Sun & Yubo Shao & Lei Zhang & Kangning Zhao, 2022. "Challenges and Perspectives for Doping Strategy for Manganese-Based Zinc-ion Battery Cathode," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Hunt, Julian David & Jurasz, Jakub & Zakeri, Behnam & Nascimento, Andreas & Cross, Samuel & Caten, Carla Schwengber ten & de Jesus Pacheco, Diego Augusto & Pongpairoj, Pharima & Filho, Walter Leal & T, 2022. "Electric Truck Hydropower, a flexible solution to hydropower in mountainous regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    8. Walaa El-Nashar & Ahmed Elyamany, 2023. "Win–win Strategies for Transboundary Water Management During the GERD Operating Stage," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(2), pages 915-936, January.
    9. Ramadhani, Adhitya & Khan, Faisal & Colbourne, Bruce & Ahmed, Salim & Taleb-Berrouane, Mohammed, 2022. "Resilience assessment of offshore structures subjected to ice load considering complex dependencies," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    10. Xiong, Hualin & Xu, Beibei & Kheav, Kimleng & Luo, Xingqi & Zhang, Xingjin & Patelli, Edoardo & Guo, Pengcheng & Chen, Diyi, 2021. "Multiscale power fluctuation evaluation of a hydro-wind-photovoltaic system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 153-166.
    11. Kinsey, Geoffrey S. & Riedel-Lyngskær, Nicholas C. & Miguel, Alonso-Abella & Boyd, Matthew & Braga, Marília & Shou, Chunhui & Cordero, Raul R. & Duck, Benjamin C. & Fell, Christopher J. & Feron, Sarah, 2022. "Impact of measured spectrum variation on solar photovoltaic efficiencies worldwide," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 995-1016.
    12. Cuevas-Carvajal, N. & Cortes-Ramirez, J.S. & Norato, Julian A. & Hernandez, C. & Montoya-Vallejo, M.F., 2022. "Effect of geometrical parameters on the performance of conventional Savonius VAWT: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    13. Zhang, Juntao & Cheng, Chuntian & Yu, Shen & Shen, Jianjian & Wu, Xinyu & Su, Huaying, 2022. "Preliminary feasibility analysis for remaking the function of cascade hydropower stations to enhance hydropower flexibility: A case study in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    14. Rostad Sæther, Simen, 2022. "Mobility at the crossroads – Electric mobility policy and charging infrastructure lessons from across Europe," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 144-159.

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