A large deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) in the power system will not only require the development of key technologies (e.g. batteries or hydrogen), but also ensure that the transmission infrastructure provides the means to share flexibility across regions and countries. This chapter describes challenges and opportunities for the energy transmission infrastructure in Europe in terms of: (i) planning the energy transition of the power sector under a long-term perspective while considering short-term challenges, (ii) the role of transmission as an enabler to transnational balancing source for renewables and its cost-benefit implications, (iii) gas as a key flexible provider to balance RES but with challenges on maintaining the gas infrastructure relevant under climate targets and (iv) the perspective of balancing exporter countries on its policy and strategies to deliver clean exports.

Chapter Contents:

• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.1.1 Background
• 4.1.2 Modelling flexibility: time and spatial dimensions
• 4.1.3 Related literature on the value of transmission
• 4.2 Modelling large-scale energy systems
• 4.2.1 The EMPIRE model
• 4.2.1.1 Mathematical formulation
• 4.2.1.2 Model constraints
• 4.2.2 Analysing gas network flows: The Global Gas Model
• 4.3 Large-scale RES share scenarios in Europe
• 4.3.1 Baseline scenario of a low-carbon European power system
• 4.3.1.1 Data sources
• 4.3.1.2 EMPIRE results from the Baseline and NoCCS scenarios
• 4.3.2 A deeper look at the role of transmission in decarbonization
• 4.4 Clean energy exports in 2050 scenarios: the case of Norway
• 4.4.1 Norway power system perspective in 2050
• 4.4.2 Natural gas infrastructure in the energy transition
• 4.4.3 RES fluctuations and natural gas capacity (utilization) factor
• 4.5 Conclusions and highlights
• Acknowledgements
• References

Inspec keywords: government policies; international trade; cost-benefit analysis; renewable energy sources

Other keywords: gas infrastructure; Europe; energy transmission infrastructure; energy transition; power sector; power system; exporter countries; cost-benefit implications; renewable energy sources; RES; renewable energy integration; transnational balancing source

Subjects: Energy and environmental policy, economics and legislation; Power system planning and layout; Power system management, operation and economics; Energy resources and fuels; Energy resources