High Resolution Generation Expansion Planning Considering Flexibility Needs: The Case of Switzerland in 2030

TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive static generation expansion planning model for Switzerland in 2030, integrating operational and investment decisions to ensure system demand and flexibility needs are met amid increasing renewable energy integration.

Contribution

It introduces a novel co-optimization framework that considers flexibility requirements and detailed grid constraints for large-scale renewable integration planning.

Findings

The model effectively captures RES integration costs.

It demonstrates the importance of flexibility in renewable-heavy systems.

High-resolution simulations validate the approach on the Swiss grid.

Abstract

This paper presents a static generation expansion planning formulation in which operational and investment decisions for a wide range of technologies are co-optimized from a centralized perspective. The location, type and quantity of new generation and storage capacities are provided such that system demand and flexibility requirements are satisfied. Depending on investments in new intermittent renewables (wind, PV), the flexibility requirements are adapted in order to fully capture RES integration costs and ensure normal system operating conditions. To position candidate units, we incorporate DC constraints, nodal demand and production of existing generators as well as imports and exports from other interconnected zones. To show the capabilities of the formulation, high-temporal resolution simulations are conducted on a 162-bus system consisting of the full Swiss transmission grid and aggregated neighboring countries.