Modelling the European High-voltage electricity transmission

Abstract: This Master’s thesis describes modelling of the cross-border electricity transmission network of Europe. Under this work an extension of The Open Source Energy Model Base for the European Union (OSeMBE) was developed, implementing interconnections to the already existing model. The model is built using the Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS). The purpose of the model is to find cost optimal shape of the electricity system of Europe in the modelling period from 2015 to 2050. The model was used to analyse plans for the development of the electricity interconnection network, defined by the European Union on the list of Projects of Common Interests. For the thesis four scenarios of the European electricity system’s future development were modelled. The aim was to analyse on which borders new interconnection capacity would be beneficial and to test the influence of the interconnection development on the whole electricity system, particularly generation capacities and CO2 emissions. The electricity flows were analysed on each border. For a better overview in the analysis four regions were defined. The regions are adequate to the four priority corridors for electricity defined in Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E). The major finding of the scenario that optimized the capacity of the interconnections in Europe, was that only 16% of capacities planned as the PCI are needed to be built. Most of those capacities should be developed in the northern Europe, particularly on the subsea borders Germany-Norway, United Kingdom-Norway, Poland-Lithuania, but also land ones Finland-Sweden, Denmark-Germany. The analysis also included utilization factors of the interconnection lines. However, due to the simplifications and limitation of modelling tool OSeMOSYS, the results needs to be taken with certain dose of caution and may serve only for indicating the direction of further analysis. The work conducted under this Master’s thesis, might also be a base for the future work, such as deeper look on the already obtained data with purpose to find relationship between electricity generation sources being utilized and interconnections utilization. The model might be also improved by implementation interconnection representation to the borders which were omitted here due to the lack of cost data.