Intermittent renewable energy—e.g., solar and wind—creates complications for electricity systems and markets, particularly those designed for conventional generation like coal and hydropower. One of the most pressing issues is integration—connecting and allowing renewable electricity to enter the grid—with numerous systems experiencing curtailment (forced spillage) as penetrations rise. In China, some regions have experienced over 40% curtailment of wind energy, much higher than regions with comparable amounts of wind power.

These challenges are taking place amidst the largest changes in China’s power system in 15 years, currently undergoing various market-oriented reforms. China, along with many other countries, diverges substantially from standard electricity market designs, which can have a range of impacts on renewable energy outcomes. This talk will present a modeling framework using a unit commitment optimization and apply to the case of wind-rich Northeast China. Findings demonstrate important interactions among legacy planning institutions at the provincial level, such as the role of barriers to trade on different time scales, in explaining high renewable energy curtailment. Popular reforms that focus on shifting the quota to long-term market-based contracts do not address these underlying conflicts, though other reforms may.

Michael Davidson is a PhD candidate in engineering systems at the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, and a researcher with the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change. Michael studies the engineering implications and institutional conflicts inherent in deploying renewable energy at scale, particularly in systems with emerging electricity markets. His dissertation project focuses on integration challenges in China’s wind sector, using a combination of engineering-economic modeling and qualitative interviews to understand the impact and mechanisms of market transitions. Michael holds an S.M. in Technology and Policy from MIT, and a B.S. in mathematics and physics and B.A. in Japanese studies from Case Western Reserve University. http://mdavidson.org/

Michael Davidson, PhD candidate, MIT
Beijing Energy Network
Xinhua Culture Building 5F (新华文化大厦5F) | Free | No RSVP Required