2030 simulation limits carbon emission intensity to levels similar to today’s natural gas power plants

#EnergySimulator; #NOAA; #2030Simulation; #CarbonEmissions; #HDVC

​New York/Canadian-Media: A national energy simulator using highly detailed weather and electric load data has been developed by National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine the role different energy sources could play in the coming decades, NOAA reports said.

Image credit: NOAA fisheries Website

Coal, nuclear, wind, solar, etc., are used by this “energy system simulator” over the continental Unites States that includes a potential national High-Voltage-Direct-Current (HVDC) transmission network allowing power to be shared over the domain.

Cost-minimized geographic configurations of power plants are identified by this simulator to continuously and reliably supply electricity over all parts of the country.

Means of lowering carbon emissions by achieving electric costs comparable to today and large carbon emission reductions are quite limited. A 2030 simulation that limits carbon emission intensity to levels found in today’s natural gas power plants, and includes a national HVDC network, would lower US electric sector emissions by up to 80%, maintaining costs at about the same levels as today.

Studies show that this approach is feasible for the major world carbon emitters, including the US, China and Europe. There is a potential path to transforming the global energy system to much lower carbon emissions by the 2030s without major economic harm.