Flexibility options in a 100% renewable grid for Australia
Open accessAbstract
Flexibility options for operating technologies available in a power system can facilitate the large-scale integration of variable renewable sources such as wind and solar whilst maintaining firm generation. In prior work, contributions of different flexibility options in future net-zero electricity networks vary widely across regions and scenario assumptions. Here we simulate a competitive-bidding process for an energy-only electricity system at 1-hr intervals to assess multiple flexibility options for supply and storage – including biomass, hydropower, concentrating solar power (CSP), electrical energy storage (EES), pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) and hydrogen (H2). We examine systemic effects of competing flexibility options and compare their grid-integrated cost-effectiveness in a future Australian 100% renewable grid. Our simulations indicate a variety of constellations with coexisting technologies, including flexibility options at various penetrations depending on storage cost and design points. We reveal the potentially significant role of long-term storage technologies (with months-deep discharge durations) in Australia's future 100% renewable grid, enabling significant reductions in the installed capacity of wind and solar PV, and thus overall system cost.
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Unmanaged charging has resulted in new peak demand spikes aggravating local transformers, cables and feeders stress.
“Consequently, this has resulted in emergence of new peaks demand spikes aggravating the local transformers, cables and feeders stress [63], [64].”
From Economic Impacts and Mitigation for the Grid Connected Electric Vehicle Charging: A Technical and Operational Overview (2026) · cites this paper as [64]
Managed charging can maintain voltage profiles within acceptable limits by coordinating scheduling of loads across phases, whereas unmanaged charging can cause localized voltage sags and phase unbalance, especially in single-phase residential connections.
“In addition, managed charging can maintain voltage profiles within acceptable limits by coordinating the scheduling of loads across phases, as unmanaged charging can cause localized voltage sags and phase unbalance, especially in case of single-phase residential connections [64].”
From Economic Impacts and Mitigation for the Grid Connected Electric Vehicle Charging: A Technical and Operational Overview (2026) · cites this paper as [64]
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- Authors
- Li, M., Keck, F., Lenzen, M., & Ximenes, F.
- Affiliations
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Li, Mengyu
- Venue
- Materials Today Sustainability
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2024-06
- Volume
- 26
- Pages
- 100736
- ISSN
- 2589-2347 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4392639469
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2025: 6 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 0.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Materials Today Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- NSW DPI
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electric Power System Optimization
- Physical Sciences › Energy › Energy Engineering and Power Technology › Power Systems and Renewable Energy
- Keywords
- grid flexibility, 100% renewable electricity, variable renewable energy integration, wind energy, photovoltaics, tendering, energy storage, pumped storage, concentrated solar power, hydrogen energy storage, biomass production, hydropower, long-term storage, system cost-effectiveness
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