Topic Energy Economics

Decommissioning of Commercial Nuclear Power Plants: Insights from a Multiple-Case Study

The decommissioning of nuclear power plants is a complex and lengthy process. But so far, of the 204 already closed reactors, only eleven with more than 100 MW of electrical capacity have been fully decommissioned, while another 200 reactors are expected to reach the end of their operational lifetime in the next two decades. Against this backdrop, this comparative cross-country case study investigates ...

Repurposing Natural Gas Pipelines for Hydrogen: Limits and Options from a Case Study in Germany

We investigate the challenges and options for repurposing existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen transportation. Challenges of re-purposing are mainly related to safety and due to the risk of hydrogen embrittlement of pipeline steels and the smaller molecular size of the gas. From an economic perspective, the lower volumetric energy density of hydrogen compared to natural gas is a challenge. We ...

The Elephant in the Room: How Do We Regulate Gas Transportation Infrastructure as Gas Demand Declines? Commentary

The use of gas will decline dramatically as part of the transition to net zero. Modeling at European levelsshows that by 2050 about 70% less gaseous fuels will be used. Significant regulatory reform is needed todeal with the impacts of this decline on the gas grid.

Stabilized Benders Decomposition for Energy Planning under Climate Uncertainty

A Linear Reduced-Order Model for the Activated Sludge Process for the Integration into a Mixed-Integer Linear Energy System Optimisation Model

Conventional wastewater treatment plants consume significant amounts of electricity. The constant aeration of the wastewater in order to foster the growth of microorganisms or the pumping of wastewater are two examples for energy-intensive processes within a plant. Case studies have shown that switching off blowers and inlet pumps for a certain period of time is possible without a loss in water quality. ...

The Energy Transition in France: Expansion of Renewables Stalling, Good Progress on Heat Pumps

The energy transition is a major challenge for both Germany and France. This Weekly Report provides an overview of the short- and long-term goals as well as current developments and trends in France’s energy and climate policy. It reveals that France is largely on track with its greenhouse gases targets and is also making good progress on installing heat pumps. However, its expansion of renewable energy ...

Editorial: Fostering the Energy Transition Amidst Geopolitical and Climate Risks in a Post-covid World

Evaluating Nuclear Power’s Suitability for Climate Change Mitigation: Technical Risks, Economic Implications and Incompatibility with Renewable Energy Systems: A Framework to Push Research Frontiers

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the suitability of nuclear power as an option to combat the escalating climate emergency. Summarizing and evaluating key arguments, we elucidate why nuclear power is unsuitable for addressing climate change. The primary argument centers around the unresolved technical and human risks of accidents and proliferation, which are unlikely to be e????ectively ...

Quantifying the Dunkelflaute: An Analysis of Variable Renewable Energy Droughts in Europe

Variable renewable energy droughts, also referred to as "Dunkelflaute", emerge as a challenge for realizing climate-neutral energy systems based on variable wind and solar power. Using data on 38 historic weather years and an advanced identification method, we characterize European drought events for on- and offshore wind power, solar photovoltaics, and policy-relevant renewable technology portfolios. ...

Coping with the Dunkelflaute: Power System Implications of Variable Renewable Energy Droughts in Europe

Coping with prolonged periods of low availability of wind and solar power, also referred to as "Dunkelflaute", emerges as a key challenge for realizing a decarbonized European energy system fully based on renewable energy sources. Here, we investigate the role of long-duration electricity storage and geographical balancing in dealing with such variable renewable energy droughts. To this end, we combine ...