The role of Xizang in China's transition towards a carbon-neutral power system

Hongyu Zhang, Wangzhen Deji, Daniel Farinotti, Da Zhang and Junling Huang

Energy, 2024, vol. 313, issue C

Abstract: Developing renewable energy is crucial for achieving China's carbon neutrality target by 2060. Xizang has a large renewable energy potential, especially hydropower potential, and it could become an important source of clean energy. Meanwhile, climate change has been affecting and will significantly alter hydropower resources in Xizang. This study estimates the development of Xizang's power system and its role in the national power supply under China's carbon neutrality target. In particular, it considers the changes in theoretically available hydropower potential from glacial retreat and transmission-supporting policies. The results show that considering the hydropower potential changes from glacier retreat under climate change, an additional 5.7–6.8 GW of hydropower capacity could be developed in Xizang by 2060, concentrated in Linzhi and Naqu areas. This additional hydropower capacity could increase to 15.9–17.7 GW if transmission subsidies are provided. Under such a scenario, Xizang could export renewable electricity to other provinces for up to about 3 % of the national electricity demand by 2060. The results indicate the importance of considering the impacts of climate change in power system planning and implementing transmission-supporting policies, which could facilitate Xizang to become a renewable energy base for China.

Keywords: Power system; Hydropower; Climate change; Carbon neutrality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544224036685
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:313:y:2024:i:c:s0360544224036685

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2024.133890

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().