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Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to provide substantial potential for demand response (DR) and, thus, the integration of renewable electricity sources in the future energy system. However, DR can also have noticeable negative consequences, so-called avalanche effects. We systematically assess under which circumstances avalanche effects occur and what impact they have on the electricity system and cost savings for EV owners. Our results show that DR can provoke unwanted avalanche effects, which are particularly strong beyond 2030, when the leverage of EV charging will have increased to a significant level. It is possible to avoid avalanche effects by using a dynamically updated DR signal. If this is used, our findings confirm that shifting charging load from peaks to hours of low or negative residual load reduces the peak and variance of residual load and facilitates the integration of renewables.

An Indian electricity system with very high shares of solar photovoltaics seems to be a plausible future given the ever-falling solar photovoltaic (PV) costs, recent Indian auction prices, and governmental support schemes. However, the variability of solar PV electricity, i.e., the seasonal, daily, and other weather-induced variations, could create an economic barrier. In this paper, we analyzed a strategy to overcome this barrier with demand-side management (DSM) by lending flexibility to the rapidly increasing electricity demand for air conditioning through either precooling or chilled water storage. With an open-source power sector model, we estimated the endogenous investments into and the hourly dispatching of these demand-side options for a broad range of potential PV shares in the Indian power system in 2040. We found that both options reduce the challenges of variability by shifting electricity demand from the evening peak to midday, thereby reducing the temporal mismatch of demand and solar PV supply profiles. This increases the economic value of solar PV, especially at shares above 40%, the level at which the economic value roughly doubles through demand flexibility. Consequently, DSM increases the competitive and cost-optimal solar PV generation share from 33–45% (without DSM) to ~45–60% (with DSM). These insights are transferable to most countries with high solar irradiation in warm climate zones, which amounts to a major share of future electricity demand. This suggests that technologies, which give flexibility to air conditioning demand, can be an important contribution toward enabling a solar-centered global electricity supply.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to provide substantial potential for demand response (DR) and, thus, the integration of renewable electricity sources in the future energy system. However, DR can also have noticeable negative consequences, so-called avalanche effects. We systematically assess under which circumstances avalanche effects occur and what impact they have on the electricity system and cost savings for EV owners. Our results show that DR can provoke unwanted avalanche effects, which are particularly strong beyond 2030, when the leverage of EV charging will have increased to a significant level. It is possible to avoid avalanche effects by using a dynamically updated DR signal. If this is used, our findings confirm that shifting charging load from peaks to hours of low or negative residual load reduces the peak and variance of residual load and facilitates the integration of renewables. • We model controlled charging of electric vehicles for 2030 and 2050 in Germany. • Identification of avalanche effects of controlled electric vehicle charging. • We investigate at what point measures to avoid avalanche effects are effective. • Avalanche effects can lead to an increase of peak residual load by up to 66%. • 8 vehicle groups could be sufficient to avoid avalanche effects in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of flexibility in the electricity sector offered by sector coupling. • Efficient sector coupling can substantially increase the market value of RES. • It is essential to increase electricity load during periods of high RES feed-in. • Short-term flexibility through load shifting has only a minor influence. • Flexible electric district heating significantly increases the market value of RES. • Flexible electric vehicles and heat pumps only marginally affect the market value. Decarbonizing the energy supply by substituting fossil fuels with renewable energy sources (RES) is a key task for the coming decades in order to achieve the EU's ambitious climate protection targets. Information about the possible development and marketability of RES in the electricity sector is essential for assessing future funding needs. However, rising shares of fluctuating RES generation in the energy system reduce the average market prices and increase price volatility. Balancing price variations requires a considerable degree of flexibility. Additional flexibility in the electricity market through closer interconnection between the electricity sector and other demand sectors makes it possible to keep the market values of RES closer to the general market price level, irrespective of their shares. Such sector coupling can thus contribute to a cost-efficient transition to a low-carbon energy system. This paper examines the impact of efficient sector coupling on the market values of RES in a European energy system with ambitious decarbonization. We analyze different scenarios by applying the Enertile model, which uses an integrated cost optimization approach with flexibility options due to sector coupling and provides a detailed future development of RES. In our analysis, we examine three flexibility options: smart charging of electric vehicles, decentralized heat pumps in buildings, and multivalent district heating grids. We show that the flexible use of electricity in district heating has a significant impact on market values, while the impact of both flexible electric vehicle charging and flexible heating with heat pumps is rather small. Short-term flexibility due to load shifting of the charging or heating process shows only a limited effect on market values. Fuel switching in district heating, however, offers the possibility to change the absolute demand for electricity in direct response to RES feed-in and drastically reduces the curtailment of RES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Indian electricity system with very high shares of solar photovoltaics seems to be a plausible future given the ever-falling solar photovoltaic (PV) costs, recent Indian auction prices, and governmental support schemes. However, the variability of solar PV electricity, i.e., the seasonal, daily, and other weather-induced variations, could create an economic barrier. In this paper, we analyzed a strategy to overcome this barrier with demand-side management (DSM) by lending flexibility to the rapidly increasing electricity demand for air conditioning through either precooling or chilled water storage. With an open-source power sector model, we estimated the endogenous investments into and the hourly dispatching of these demand-side options for a broad range of potential PV shares in the Indian power system in 2040. We found that both options reduce the challenges of variability by shifting electricity demand from the evening peak to midday, thereby reducing the temporal mismatch of demand and solar PV supply profiles. This increases the economic value of solar PV, especially at shares above 40%, the level at which the economic value roughly doubles through demand flexibility. Consequently, DSM increases the competitive and cost-optimal solar PV generation share from 33–45% (without DSM) to ~45–60% (with DSM). These insights are transferable to most countries with high solar irradiation in warm climate zones, which amounts to a major share of future electricity demand. This suggests that technologies, which give flexibility to air conditioning demand, can be an important contribution toward enabling a solar-centered global electricity supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing CO 2 emissions, as targeted by the European Union, requires the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable energies. This reduces the CO 2 intensity of electricity generation and this low carbon electricity can then be used in other sectors, e.g. to decarbonize heating. Besides contributing to emission savings, this so-called sector coupling provides additional flexibility in the electricity sector and fosters the integration of renewable energies. We assess how heat pumps in district heating grids contribute to renewable electricity integration. We analyze different scenarios using the Enertile model, which optimizes capacities and dispatch of electricity and heat generation simultaneously. The results show that, the higher the achieved levels of decarbonization and renewable electricity, the more competitive heat pumps become in heating grids. • We examine the use of heat pumps in district heating grids in Germany and Europe. • Our model optimizes capacity and dispatch for electricity and heat simultaneously. • High shares of renewable electricity enable the cost-efficient use of heat pumps. • Availability of transnational electricity trading promotes the use of heat pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]