Title:	Sector Coupled Energy Model for the European Electricity, Heat and Transport Sectors - Methodology
Author(s):	A. Blinn, H. te Heesen
Keywords:	Environmental Effect, Strategy, CO2, Modeling
Topic:	PV Applications, Integration and Storage
Subtopic:	Energy System Integration
Event:	38th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	6CO.11.5
Pages:	1356 - 1363
ISBN:	3-936338-78-7
Paper DOI:	10.4229/EUPVSEC20212021-6CO.11.5
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper

Abstract/Summary:

---

Europe can ensure a reliable, economical, and environmentally compatible energy supply by moving from finite fossil fuels to regenerative and sustainable energy production. Due to the characteristics of fluctuating power generation plants, the need for storage increases but can be reduced to a minimum through energy demand reduction measures, such as general technical efficiency improvements and changes in consumer behavior, as well as through load shifting and the expansion of domestic and cross-border transmission grid capacities. Sector coupling combines the electricity, heat, and transport sectors into a holistic system. This work aims to investigate an energy system 100 % based on renewable energy by the year 2050. For this purpose, a complete sector-coupled energy model (UCBSEnMod) of all energy sectors was modelled. The interaction of energy supply and energy consumption can be investigated with hourly resolution. The result of the present work is that a 100 % renewable energy system in Europe is technically possible. The overall system will be characterized by a high degree of photovoltaic and wind power, whose volatile power generation requires storage technologies. By displacing combustion-based technologies as far as possible and using more efficient electrical consumers, primary and final energy consumption can be significantly reduced.