Jiangsu Province in China would benefit from increased share of renewables and increased power system flexibility, according to a power system modelling of the Jiangsu grid conducted in cooperation with Wärtsilä and China Electric Power Planning & Engineering Institute (EPPEI). Based on the modelling, Wärtsilä has released a white paper The Path Towards a Future of High Renewable Energy in Jiangsu, China, showcasing how to build an optimal path to the large-scale integration of renewables while maintaining system stability and reliability. The whitepaper concluded that a higher share of renewable energy will bring aggregate cost-savings of nearly 64 billion CNY to the Jiangsu power system and reduce total carbon emissions by more than 25% by 2030.
Wärtsilä’s flexible internal combustion engine (ICE) power plants and energy storage solutions can play an important role by filling any gap in power supply and providing peak regulation, thereby reducing the dependence on coal and, as a result, lowering CO2 emission levels. Eventually, ICE power plants can switch to using synthetic fuels to further contribute to the 2060 carbon neutrality target, while supporting China’s power system which is key to the nation’s strong economic growth.
Jiangsu has been a domestic leader in renewable energy (RE) utilisation, with RE sources accounting for approximately 17% of the province’s electricity capacity (MW installed). According to the whitepaper, Jiangsu would greatly benefit from additional RE and increased power system flexibility in responding to the increased power demand and carbon emission reduction targets.
As suggested in the whitepaper, a large-scale RE capacity needs to be integrated into the Jiangsu grid to enable lower power system costs and more sustainable energy generation. Flexible balancing capacity such as gas-fired ICE power plants and energy storage is needed to integrate renewables and balance the grid. In a high-renewables scenario of the Jiangsu power system modelling, the proportion of wind and solar power generation will increase to up to 30% by 2030.
“RE is a future trend in China. Jiangsu is at the front of utilising clean and renewable energy as power consumption among other provinces. Meanwhile, the increasing demand for renewable energy in Jiangsu highlights the importance of power system flexibility,” says Wang Shunchao, Director of International cooperation Division, EPPEI.
“As more and more renewables are integrated into Jiangsu grid, flexible technologies such as ICE power plants running on gas can quickly ramp-up to provide the rapid response needed to balance intermittent and fluctuating generation and ensure the grid continues to deliver a stable and reliable service. They can also be quickly shut down when renewables are back online”, says Rhonin Zhou, Market Development Manager, Wärtsilä Energy.
At the United Nations General Assembly on 30 September 2020, President Xi Jinping announced China’s commitment to reaching a CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. China can accelerate its deployment of renewables and meet its carbon neutrality goals by developing sufficient flexibility to ensure grid stability. Read more on https://www.wartsila.cn/en/energy/powersystem
More information on the release:
Rhonin Zhou Market Development Manager Wärtsilä Energy rhonin.zhou@wartsila.com
Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers unlock the value of the energy transition by optimising their energy systems and future-proofing their assets. Our offering comprises flexible power plants, energy management systems, and storage, as well as lifecycle services that ensure increased efficiency and guaranteed performance. Wärtsilä has delivered 72 GW of power plant capacity in 180 countries around the world. https://www.wartsila.com/energy/
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2020, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.6 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.wartsila.com