Decarbonizing isolated power systems: The role of renewable sources, storage and grid expansion
- 1Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino, Italy, 10129
- 2Energy Center Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Via Paolo Borsellino 38/16, Torino, Italy, 10138
Abstract
Decarbonizing isolated regions is challenging due to fossil fuel dependence and limited grid infrastructure. This study proposes a flexible optimization framework to assess cost-effective decarbonization pathways under different environmental and technological constraints. The methodology integrates automated renewable resource assessment, photovoltaic performance modelling, spatial and temporal clustering, and energy system optimization. The framework is applied to Yukon (Canada), an isolated power system with high hydropower penetration, diesel-dependent remote communities, and limited interconnections. Scenarios include Business-as-Usual (BAU), full decarbonization, intermediate emission constraints, and technology-ban configurations. Achieving net-zero without grid expansion increases system costs fourfold relative to BAU, while grid expansion reduces net-zero costs by about 25%. Intermediate decarbonization is mainly supported by photovoltaic generation and battery storage, whereas deeper decarbonization shifts the system toward large-scale wind deployment coupled with hydrogen storage for long-duration flexibility. The framework is transferable to other isolated and infrastructure-constrained energy systems.
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BibTeX
@misc{perelli2026decarbonizing,
title = {{Decarbonizing isolated power systems: The role of renewable sources, storage and grid expansion}},
author = {Elia Perelli and Elena Rozzi and Paolo Marocco and Marta Gandiglio},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15010419/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010419/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Decarbonizing isolated power systems: The role of renewable sources, storage and grid expansion
AU - Elia Perelli
AU - Elena Rozzi
AU - Paolo Marocco
AU - Marta Gandiglio
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15010419/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010419/v1
AB - Decarbonizing isolated regions is challenging due to fossil fuel dependence and limited grid infrastructure. This study proposes a flexible optimization framework to assess cost-effective decarbonization pathways under different environmental and technological constraints. The methodology integrates automated renewable resource assessment, photovoltaic performance modelling, spatial and temporal clustering, and energy system optimization. The framework is applied to Yukon (Canada), an isolated power system with high hydropower penetration, diesel-dependent remote communities, and limited interconnections. Scenarios include Business-as-Usual (BAU), full decarbonization, intermediate emission constraints, and technology-ban configurations. Achieving net-zero without grid expansion increases system costs fourfold relative to BAU, while grid expansion reduces net-zero costs by about 25%. Intermediate decarbonization is mainly supported by photovoltaic generation and battery storage, whereas deeper decarbonization shifts the system toward large-scale wind deployment coupled with hydrogen storage for long-duration flexibility. The framework is transferable to other isolated and infrastructure-constrained energy systems.
ER -