Power System Planning: Advancements in Capacity Expansion Modeling
An electricity capacity expansion model (CEM) is a tool used in long-term planning studies for the power sector. This fact sheet summarizes key advancements in the CEM process resulting from low-cost clean energy, storage, and other new technologies.
An electricity capacity expansion model (CEM) is a tool or suite of tools used in long-term planning studies for the power sector. CEMs are used to identify the least-cost mix of power system resources, taking into consideration new policies, technologies, demand projections, and other factors. CEM analysis can be an important tool in developing power sector master plans or integrated resource plans. Low-cost clean energy, storage, and demandside management technologies, along with low-cost computing have improved the quality and complexity of CEM analysis. This fact sheet summarizes eight key advancements in the CEM process:
- Increased temporal resolution
- Increased geographic resolution
- Representing RE resource variability
- Energy storage technologies
- Demand response, electric vehicle, and distributed energy resource representation
- Climate change impacts
- Technologies for deep decarbonization
- Linkages across energy sectors
Read the fact sheet, here!
