Search

With the expansion of renewables in the electricity markets, research on electricity storage economics is needed for a better understanding of the utilization of these systems and for improving the performance of intermittent variable generation. Collected up-to-date research of electricity storage systems published in a wide range of articles with high impact factors gives a comprehensive review of the current studies regarding all relevant parameters for storage utilization in the electricity markets. Valuable research of technical characteristics from the literature is broadened with the electricity storage analyses from an economic point-of-view. Analysis of selected technologies, considering different perspectives such as their profitability, technical maturity, and environmental aspect, is a valuable addition to the previous research on electricity storage systems. Comparing conducted analysis with the selected literature, electricity storage technologies are analyzed concerning their viability in the electricity markets. Given the current outlook of the electricity market, the main problems for storage's wider integration are still energy storage costs. These can be overcome with different applications of energy storage systems, integration of new market players, or a combination of storage technologies along with the implementation of new energy policies for storage.

In recent years rising quantities of electricity generated from new variable renewable energy sources (VRES) have influenced the structure of electricity markets in many countries. The major aim of this work is to investigate the conditions required to head towards a sustainable and more democratic electricity supply system by using even higher amounts of VRES for the example of Austria. The most important result of this investigation is that an approach based on market principles – including flexibility and the final customers – is favourable and will ensure that competition at the service level rather than capacity payments will be the basis for future market designs of the electricity system. The transformation towards a sustainable and more democratic as well as increasingly competitive future electricity supply system is likely to be based on different paradigms of “new thinking”. This means that the fundamental structures of the overall electricity system will change. It will be based on changing from the old inflexible one-way electricity delivery system to a very flexible one with a two or multi-way flow of electricity. Regarding the case study of the Austrian electricity system the major finding is that up to 2030 RES can contribute to electricity generation to the same extent as electricity demand is expected to be. This implies a growth to about 16 TWh Wind (in 2020: 7 TWh) and 12 TWh PV (in 2020: 1 TWh). However, to meet demand on an hourly base over the whole year even after having implemented additional storage capacities and several flexibility measures on the demand-side an amount of about 2 TWh electricity (compared to 10 TWh in 2019) has to be generated from different gas-based power plants (e.g. natural or biomass-based gases).

The European Union has established a number of targets regarding energy efficiency, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and CO2 reductions as the 'GREEN PAPER on Energy Efficiency', the Directive for 'promotion of the use of bio-fuels or other renewable fuels for transport' or 'Directive of the European Parliament of the Council on the promotion of cogeneration based on a useful heat demand in the internal energy market'. A lot of the according RES and RUE measures are not attractive for investors from an economic point of view. Therefore governments all over the world have to spend public money to promote these technologies/measures to bring them into market. These expenditures have to be adjusted to budget concerns and should be spent most efficiently. Therefore, the spent money has to be dedicated to technologies and efficiency measures with the best yield in CO2 reduction without wasting money. The core question: "How can public money - for promoting sustainable energy systems - be spent most efficiently to reduce GHG-emissions?" has been well investigated by the European project Invert. In course of this project a simulation tool has been designed to answer this core question. This paper describes the modelling with the Invert simulation tool and shows the key features necessary for simulating the energy system. A definition of 'Promotion Scheme Efficiency' is given which allows estimating the most cost effective technologies and/or efficiency measures to reduce CO2 emissions. Investigations performed with the Invert simulation tool deliver an optimum portfolio mix of technologies and efficiency measures for each selected region. Within Invert seven European regions were simulated and for the Austrian case study the detailed portfolio mix is shown and political conclusions are derived.

The transport sector accounts for about one quarter of the global carbon dioxide emissions. It is dominated by fossil fuels, leading to different negative impacts on humans and the environment. Over the last years, interest in alternative automotive powertrains such as different types of electric vehicles as well as low-carbon fuels has been increasing. The main objective of this paper is to provide review of the current state of the major renewable energy systems in road transport focusing on the EU. Based on a detailed literature review, the major prospects and impediments for the future use of biofuels, renewable electricity and green hydrogen in road transport are discussed considering policies implemented, as well as emission reduction targets set for the future with a special focus on passenger car transport. The major conclusions are: (i) The prospects of biofuels depend on their future economic and environmental performance as well as on land availability and the food versus tank discussion. (ii) The high investment costs of battery- and fuel cell electric vehicles are still a major barrier for their faster market penetration but they could be reduced in future due to technological learning. In addition, their contribution to the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions is achievable only in combination with the increasing use of renewable energy sources in electricity generation.