POWER December 2013 - 41

RENEWABLES IN CHINA
evaluation: hydropower, large-scale gas-fired
generators, 600-MW coal-fired units, and
pumped storage.
Northwest China. Considering resource
distribution characteristics, the area's richness
in coal and water resources, uneven load
distribution, and lower load, we select these
three VG integration supporting technologies
for techno-economic evaluation: hydropower,
large-scale gas-fired generators, and 600MW
coal-fired units.
North China. Considering resource distribution
characteristics with the absence of
a large coal power and hydropower base,
even load distribution, and high load level,
we select these five VG integration supporting
technologies for techno-economic
evaluation: large-scale gas-fired generators,
600-MW coal-fired units, pumped storage,
and battery energy storage technologies (including
electric vehicles).
East China. Considering resource distribution
characteristics with rich water
resources, even load distribution with high
load level, and the region's high dependence
on cross-province transmission, we select
these six VG integration supporting technologies
for techno-economic evaluation:
hydropower, large-scale gas-fired generators,
pumped storage plants, battery energy
storage technologies (including electric vehicles),
and CCHP (combined cooling, heating,
and power).
Evaluation of Interregional Transmission
Technology Programs
In China, regions that are abundant in wind
and solar energy usually have low load levels
(for example, the Northwest Grid). That
combination contributes to limited ability
for local energy consumption, wind power
abandonment, and low energy utilization
efficiency. A smart grid with an ultra-highvoltage
grid as its backbone network is being
built in China to achieve VG integration via
large-scale interregional transmission over
long distances with high efficiency to enable
remote consumption-typically, in East
China (Figure 5).
In considering this challenge, we will
propose an interregional transmission plan
considering relevant issues to improve VG
consumption levels and increase energy
utilization efficiency. We will also take the
ultra-high-voltage transmission line from
Northwest China to East China as an example
to evaluate possible economic and environmental
benefits.
From Evaluation to Implementation
After comprehensively assessing the results
of the techno-economic and social benefit
evaluations of the various technology options
for supporting VG integration in each region,
and accounting for renewable energy policies
and their trends, we will select and propose
the preferred investment plan for VG integration
supporting technologies in each region.
As investors are usually encouraged by economic
interests, we should make investment
decisions according to each program's technoeconomic
evaluation results. For programs economically
viable and with good social benefits,
the government should support market-oriented
investments, while the government's main duty
is to conduct market regulation.
As to programs not economically viable
but with good social benefits, the government
should introduce incentive measures-such
as tariff compensation, direct
subsidies, or preferential loans-to support
investments. Programs economically viable
but with poor social benefits could be
treated as options. Programs not economically
viable and with bad social benefits
should be abandoned.
Goals and Impacts
If this project is successfully implemented as
outlined here, the project is expected to have
three main benefits.
First, it could provide a decision-making
basis for the Chinese government that could
help it determine the appropriate combination
of technologies for supporting VG integration
and their capacity when a certain
amount of wind power is put into production.
That could contribute to maximizing the
amount of grid-integrated VG.
Second, it could provide an investment decision-making
basis for players in the market
and help improve investment efficiency.
Third, mature experience concerning
large-scale and concentrating VG exploitation
and long-distance transmission is absent
at present. If this project is successfully implemented,
the research results can provide a
reference for other countries. ■
-Zeng Ming, Li Shulei, and Xue Song
(xuesongbjhd@163.com) are all with North
China Electric Power University, Beijing.
The work described in this article was
supported by National Science Foundation
of China (NSFC) (71271082), The National
Soft Science Research Program (2012GXS4B064),
and The Energy
Foundation (G-1006-12630).
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