Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal
Located in Southern Europe, the Drina River Basin is shared between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. The power sectors of the three countries have an exceptionally high dependence on coal for power generation. In this paper, we analyse different development pathways for achieving clim...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Environmental Research Communications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad8ca4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850191559863042048 |
|---|---|
| author | Emir Fejzić Taco Niet Cameron Wade Will Usher |
| author_facet | Emir Fejzić Taco Niet Cameron Wade Will Usher |
| author_sort | Emir Fejzić |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Located in Southern Europe, the Drina River Basin is shared between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. The power sectors of the three countries have an exceptionally high dependence on coal for power generation. In this paper, we analyse different development pathways for achieving climate neutrality in these countries and explore the potential of variable renewable energy (VRE) and its role in power sector decarbonization. We investigate whether hydro and non-hydro renewables can enable a net-zero transition by 2050 and how VRE might affect the hydropower cascade shared by the three countries. The Open-Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) was used to develop a model representation of the countries’ power sectors. Findings show that the renewable potential of the countries is a significant 94.4 GW. This potential is 68% higher than previous assessments have shown. Under an Emission Limit scenario assuming net zero by 2050, 17% of this VRE potential is utilized to support the decarbonization of the power sectors. Additional findings show a limited impact of VRE technologies on total power generation output from the hydropower cascade. However, increased solar deployment shifts the operation of the cascade to increased short-term balancing, moving from baseload to more responsive power generation patterns. Prolonged use of thermal power plants is observed under scenarios assuming high wholesale electricity prices, leading to increased emissions. Results from scenarios with low cost of electricity trade suggest power sector developments that lead to decreased energy security. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5acf7df4a59492a8bc3a406599ee6a2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2515-7620 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5acf7df4a59492a8bc3a406599ee6a22025-08-20T02:14:53ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Communications2515-76202024-01-0161111500810.1088/2515-7620/ad8ca4Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green DealEmir Fejzić0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2489-8455Taco Niet1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0266-2705Cameron Wade2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2680-6881Will Usher3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9367-1791KTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Energy Technology , Energy Systems, Brinellvägen 68, SE-100 44 Stockholm, SwedenSimon Fraser University , School of Sustainable Energy Engineering, 10285 University Drive, Surrey, BC V3T 4B7, CanadaSutubra Research Inc . 5608 Morris St, Halifax, Nova Scotia. B3J 1C2, CanadaKTH, School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM), Energy Technology , Energy Systems, Brinellvägen 68, SE-100 44 Stockholm, SwedenLocated in Southern Europe, the Drina River Basin is shared between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. The power sectors of the three countries have an exceptionally high dependence on coal for power generation. In this paper, we analyse different development pathways for achieving climate neutrality in these countries and explore the potential of variable renewable energy (VRE) and its role in power sector decarbonization. We investigate whether hydro and non-hydro renewables can enable a net-zero transition by 2050 and how VRE might affect the hydropower cascade shared by the three countries. The Open-Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) was used to develop a model representation of the countries’ power sectors. Findings show that the renewable potential of the countries is a significant 94.4 GW. This potential is 68% higher than previous assessments have shown. Under an Emission Limit scenario assuming net zero by 2050, 17% of this VRE potential is utilized to support the decarbonization of the power sectors. Additional findings show a limited impact of VRE technologies on total power generation output from the hydropower cascade. However, increased solar deployment shifts the operation of the cascade to increased short-term balancing, moving from baseload to more responsive power generation patterns. Prolonged use of thermal power plants is observed under scenarios assuming high wholesale electricity prices, leading to increased emissions. Results from scenarios with low cost of electricity trade suggest power sector developments that lead to decreased energy security.https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad8ca4OSeMOSYSenergy system modellingopen source softwarevariable renewable energyhydropower |
| spellingShingle | Emir Fejzić Taco Niet Cameron Wade Will Usher Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal Environmental Research Communications OSeMOSYS energy system modelling open source software variable renewable energy hydropower |
| title | Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal |
| title_full | Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal |
| title_fullStr | Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal |
| title_short | Aligning the Western Balkans power sectors with the European Green Deal |
| title_sort | aligning the western balkans power sectors with the european green deal |
| topic | OSeMOSYS energy system modelling open source software variable renewable energy hydropower |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7620/ad8ca4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emirfejzic aligningthewesternbalkanspowersectorswiththeeuropeangreendeal AT taconiet aligningthewesternbalkanspowersectorswiththeeuropeangreendeal AT cameronwade aligningthewesternbalkanspowersectorswiththeeuropeangreendeal AT willusher aligningthewesternbalkanspowersectorswiththeeuropeangreendeal |