Electricity Systems Optimisation Framework

This compilation of data provides the parameter bases for the Electricity Systems Optimisation framework, a power system optimisation model, presented in Heuberger, et al., 2017. It contains detailed cost and technology performance parameter on a wide range of power generation and energy storage technologies. In addition, electricity system level indicators, such as carbon emission targets, full hourly wind and solar availability, and electricity demand  for 2015 to 2050 are given. Values are complied from various sources which are listed on the initial sheet. Download, use, and disclosure is permitted under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license. 

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Commercialising CCS - December 2016
IChemE Fellow, Dr Leigh Hackett presented his paper on 'Commercialising CCS - What needs to happen?' at Imperial College London. 

Click here to download the paper, here for the presentation by Dr Niall Mac Dowell, and here for the presentation by Dr Leigh Hackett. 

Sustainable Gas Institute White Paper: Can technology unlock "unburnable" carbon? 
This evidence-based literature review focusses on the short and long-term potential of CCS technologies in enabling access to, or ‘unlocking’, fossil fuel reserves in a way that will still meet climate targets. 

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IChemE Energy Centre Report: Transitions in electricity systems towards 2030
This report was commissioned by the Energy Centre as a review of the installed electricity generation capacity in Australia, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and the UK. These countries were chosen owing to international significance and large IChemE membership.

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Royal Society of Chemistry Review: An overview of advances in biomass gasification
This paper sheds light on diverse areas of biomass gasification as a potentially sustainable and environmentally friendly technology.

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Royal Society of Chemistry Review: Carbon capture and storage update
A review of the leading CO2 capture technologies, available in the short and long term, and their technological maturity, before discussing CO2 transport and storage. Current pilot plants and demonstrations are highlighted, as is the importance of optimising the CCS system as a whole. Other topics briefly discussed include the viability of both the capture of CO2 from the air and CO2 reutilisation as climate change mitigation strategies. Finally, we discuss the economic and legal aspects of CCS.

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Energy and Environmental Science: Overview of CO2 Capture Technologies
In this paper, three of the leading options for large scale CO2 capture are reviewed from a technical perspective. We consider solvent-based chemisorption techniques, carbonate looping technology, and the so-called oxyfuel process. For each technology option, we give an overview of the technology, listing advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, a discussion of the level of technological maturity is presented, and we conclude by identifying current gaps in knowledge and suggest areas with significant scope for future work. We then discuss the suitability of using ionic liquids as novel, environmentally benign solvents with which to capture CO2. In addition, we consider alternatives to simply sequestering CO2—we present a discussion on the possibility of recycling captured CO2 and exploiting it as a C1 building block for the sustainable manufacture of polymers, fine chemicals, and liquid fuels. Finally, we present a discussion of relevant systems engineering methodologies in carbon capture system design.

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