Feasibility and practical limits of full decarbonization of the electricity market with renewable energy: Application to the Spanish power sector

Electricity market decarbonization using renewable energies is essential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the identification of the optimum electrical mix for each country is a challenging and complex task because of the many boundary conditions that must be taken into account, thus demanding the use of advanced analysis and computing tools. This paper presents a methodology based on artificial intelligence developed for this purpose and the results obtained when applied to the specific case of the Spanish electricity market long-term decarbonization. It also shows how effective this methodology is to find the optimum electrical mix fulfilling previously defined objectives: 100% coverage of the demand while simultaneously minimizing the electricity cost and curtailments. Results show the significant barriers to achieve a 100% renewable electrical mix without excessive curtailments or installed power. The methodology described here is suitable for any other country and target objectives. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.