Skip to main content

Renewable Integration in Island Electricity Systems—A System Dynamics Assessment

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Complex Systems Design & Management Asia

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 426))

Abstract

Island electricity systems tend to rely heavily on the use of fossil fuels for the everyday supply of customer needs, so there are both significant economic and environmental benefits from the decarbonisation of these systems. One such key global environmental benefit is the anticipated reduction in CO2 emissions and its associated effects on climate change. In recognition, many islands are already pursuing ambitious goals for renewable energy sources integration. The resulting effects of policy on the long-term investment decisions however, need to be better understood. This paper presents a system dynamics simulation model which evaluates the adoption and diffusion of renewable generation sources within an existing island electricity system. In particular, renewable sources within the Azorean island of São Miguel are considered, with findings revealing that the requisite long-term investments are framed by the local experience of the renewable technologies and the pursuit of further renewable integration policy targets.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Weisser, D.: On the economics of electricity consumption in small island developing states: a role for renewable energy technologies? Energy Policy 32(1), 127–140 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Pina, A., Silva, C., Ferrão, P.: The impact of demand side management strategies in the penetration of renewable electricity. Energy 41(1), 128–137 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Cross-Call, D.F.: Matching energy storage to small Island electricity systems: a case study of the Azores. Master’s Thesis MIT (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Parness, M.: the environmental and cost impacts of vehicle electrification in the Azores. Master’s Thesis MIT (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ford, A., Vogstad, K., Flynn, H.: Simulating price patterns for tradable green certificates to promote electricity generation from wind. Energy Policy 35(1), 91–111 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ford, A.: Simulation scenarios for rapid reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the western electricity system. Energy Policy 36(1), 443–455 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ford, A.: Greening the economy with new markets: system dynamics simulations of energy and environmental markets. Int. Conf. Syst. Dyn. Soc. 1–26 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Pruyt, E. Kwakkel, J.: Energy Transitions towards Sustainability I: A Staged exploration of complexity and deep uncertainty. In: Proceedings 29th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, pp. 1–26 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bildik, Y., Van Daalen, C.E., Yü, G., Ortt, J.R., Thissen, W.A.H.: Modelling wind turbine diffusion: a comparative study of California and Denmark 1980–1995. In: International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, pp. 1–25 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Azores: Azores (2015). http://www.azores.com/. Accessed 18 Mar 2014

  11. MIT-Portugal: MIT-Portugal (2013). http://www.mitportugal.org/research-overview/research.html#modelsdesign. Accessed 06 July 2014

  12. EDA: Caracterização da Procura e da Oferta de Energia Eléctrica 2009–2013 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  13. ERSE: Plano de Promoção da Eficiência no Consumo de Energia Eléctrica para 2012–2013 (2012). http://www.erse.pt/eng/electricity/tariffs/Paginas/default.aspx. Accessed 18 Mar 2014

  14. Perez, Y., Ramos Real, F.J.: How to make a European integrated market in small and isolated electricity systems? The case of the Canary Islands. Energy Policy 36(11), 4159–4167 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. EDA: EDA (2014) http://www.eda.pt/Paginas/default.aspx. Accessed 18 Mar 2014

  16. Sterman, J.D.: Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Black, J.: Integrating demand into the U.S. electric power system: technical, economic, and regulatory frameworks for responsive load. PhD Thesis MIT (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Matthew, G.J., Nuttall, W., Mestel, B., Dooley, L.: Insights into the thermal generation futures of isolated island electricity systems using system dynamics. In: International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, pp. 1–17 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ilić, M., Xie, L., Liu, Q.: Engineering IT-enabled sustainable electricity services: the tale of two low-cost green Azores Islands. Springer Science and Business (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  20. IEA: Projected Costs of Generating Electricity, vol. 118, Suppl no. 7 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jamasb, T., Nuttall, W.J., Pollitt, M.: The case for a new energy research, development and promotion policy for the UK. Energy Policy 36(12), 4610–4614 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to Pedro Carvalho, Stephen R. Connors, Manuel Heitor, Maria Ilić, João Martins de Carvalho, André Pina for helpful advice and discussions. The views expressed are those solely of the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Matthew .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Matthew, G., Nuttall, W.J., Mestel, B., Dooley, L., Ferrão, P.M. (2016). Renewable Integration in Island Electricity Systems—A System Dynamics Assessment. In: Cardin, MA., Fong, S., Krob, D., Lui, P., Tan, Y. (eds) Complex Systems Design & Management Asia. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 426. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29643-2_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29643-2_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-29642-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-29643-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics