Advancement assessment of regional grid in main cities towards high penetration of renewable energy: A case in western Inner Mongolia

Abstract

There is a growing global momentum to achieve a clean and sustainable social well-being, and one of the crucial prerequisites for attaining sustainable goals is the conversion of existing fossil fuel energy systems into renewable ones. As the penetration of renewable energy continues to rise steadily, the unrestricted generation of solar and wind power can have severe consequences on the current grid system. This necessitates significant top-down changes to regional grid systems. This paper proposes an advanced assessment of city-level grid power systems (CGPS) under high penetration of renewable energy. A comprehensive CGPS criteria system, focused on the modernization of electric power systems, is developed, encompassing four aspects: compatibility with power source and demand, grid stability, and key infrastructure. Subsequently, a subjective evaluation is conducted using a triangular Pythagorean fuzzy (TPF) environment. The influential driving factors in the CGPS system are identified through an enhanced TPF-DEMATEL method, which employs cause-to-effect analysis. Furthermore, the PROMETHEE-II method, incorporating customized preference functions that consider the unique characteristics of each CGPS evaluation criterion, is applied to rank cities within the research area. A case study conducted in Western Inner Mongolia, China, reveals the following findings: (1) grid-side energy storage emerges as the most critical factor for CGPS advancement, followed by the number of electric vehicles connected to the local grid, and (2) Hohhot is identified as the most advanced CGPS, while CGPSs in Alxa, Bayanjordur, and Ulaanchab generally outperform those in Wuhait, Baotou, and Ordos. Based on the evaluation results, practical measures and policy implications are proposed for alternative cities to ensure the continued prosperity of their grid systems. These measures encompass both specific CGPS improvements and a series of interactive CGPS initiatives as a whole.

Keywords

• Renewable energy
• New infrastructure
• Grid side
• Uncertain environment