The flexibility requirements for power plants with CCS in a future energy system with a large share of intermittent renewable energy sources

Abstract

This paper investigates flexibility issues of future low-carbon power systems. The short-term power system impacts of intermittent renewables are identified and roughly quantified based on a review of wind integration studies. Next, the flexibility parameters of three types of power plants with CO2 capture are quantified, and used in a power system model of The Netherlands to determine the technical and economic feasibility. We find that coal-fired power plants with CO2 capture achieve higher load factors and short-term profits than gas-fired plants in future power systems, and that those coal-fired plants are flexible enough to balance high levels of wind power. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.