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Buffering Volatility: Storage Investments and Technology-Specific Renewable Energy Support

Author

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  • Jan Abrell

    (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Sebastian Rausch

    (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Clemens Streitberger

    (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)

Abstract

Mitigating climate change will require integrating large amounts of highly intermittent renewable energy (RE) sources in future electricity markets. Considerable uncertainties exist about the cost and availability of future large-scale storage to alleviate the potential mismatch between demand and supply. This paper examines the suitability of regulatory (public policy) mechanisms for coping with the volatility induced by intermittent RE sources, using a numerical equilibrium model of a future wholesale electricity market. We find that the optimal RE subsidies are technology-specific reflecting the heterogeneous value for system integration. Differentiated RE subsidies reduce the curtailment of excess production, thereby preventing costly investments in energy storage. Using a simple cost-benefit framework, we show that a “smart” design of RE support policies significantly reduces the level of optimal storage. We further find that the marginal benefits of storage rapidly decrease for short-term (intra-day) storage and are small for long-term (seasonal) storage independent of the storage level. This suggests that storage is not likely to be the limiting factor for decarbonizing the electricity sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Abrell & Sebastian Rausch & Clemens Streitberger, 2019. "Buffering Volatility: Storage Investments and Technology-Specific Renewable Energy Support," CER-ETH Economics working paper series 19/310, CER-ETH - Center of Economic Research (CER-ETH) at ETH Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:eth:wpswif:19-310
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    Cited by:

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    2. Yu, Shiwei & Zhou, Shuangshuang & Chen, Nan, 2024. "Multi-objective optimization of capacity and technology selection for provincial energy storage in China: The effects of peak-shifting and valley-filling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 355(C).
    3. Jahani, Hamed & Gholizadeh, Hadi & Hayati, Zahra & Fazlollahtabar, Hamed, 2023. "Investment risk assessment of the biomass-to-energy supply chain using system dynamics," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 554-567.
    4. Rodica Loisel & Corentin Simon, 2021. "Market strategies for large-scale energy storage: Vertical integration versus stand-alone player," Post-Print hal-04475995, HAL.
    5. Jan Abrell & Sebastian Rausch & Clemens Streitberger, 2022. "The Economic and Climate Value of Flexibility in Green Energy Markets," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 83(2), pages 289-312, October.
    6. Alessandra Chiarini & Lorenzo Compagnucci, 2022. "Blockchain, Data Protection and P2P Energy Trading: A Review on Legal and Economic Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Loisel, Rodica & Simon, Corentin, 2021. "Market strategies for large-scale energy storage: Vertical integration versus stand-alone player," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    8. de Miguel, Carlos & Filippini, Massimo & Labandeira, Xavier & Labeaga, José M. & Löschel, Andreas, 2019. "Low-carbon Transitions: Economics and Policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(S1).
    9. Li, Longxi & Cao, Xilin, 2022. "Comprehensive effectiveness assessment of energy storage incentive mechanisms for PV-ESS projects based on compound real options," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PA).
    10. Bistline, John & Blanford, Geoffrey & Mai, Trieu & Merrick, James, 2021. "Modeling variable renewable energy and storage in the power sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    11. Pierre, Cayet & Catherine, Azzaro-Pantel & Sylvain, Bourjade & Catherine, Muller-Vibes, 2024. "Beyond the “bottom-up” and “top-down” controversy: A methodological inquiry into hybrid modeling methods for hydrogen supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    12. MURĂRAȘU Ioan Cătălin, 2023. "Analysis of the Volatility of Renewable Sources of Electricity in Romania and the Assessment of Their Capacity to Replace the Conventional Sources," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bucharest Economic Academy, issue 01, March.
    13. Uddin, Gazi Salah & Luo, Tianqi & Yahya, Muhammad & Jayasekera, Ranadeva & Rahman, Md Lutfur & Okhrin, Yarema, 2023. "Risk network of global energy markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
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    15. Lamp, Stefan & Samano, Mario, 2022. "Large-scale battery storage, short-term market outcomes, and arbitrage," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Renewable Energy; Electricity; Volatility; Intermittency; Storage; Technology-specific Regulation; Subsidies; Energy Policy; Climate Policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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