Coordinated generation, transmission, storage, and demand planning accelerates cost-effective decarbonization in China
4 affiliations
- 1Center for Energy Environmental Management and Decision-making, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Corresponding author
- 2Center for Energy Environmental Management and Decision-making, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
- 3Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119620, Singapore
- 4Center for Energy and Environment Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Haidian District, Beijing, China; School of Management, Beijing Institute of Technology, Haidian District, Beijing, China; Corresponding author
Abstract
Increasing shares of renewable energy (RE) are reshaping power systems and creating unprecedented challenges in the spatiotemporal synergy of power generation, transmission, storage, and demand (GTSD). Existing fragmented planning strategies inadequately address resource mismatch and the trade-off between RE penetration and cost efficiency. Here, to accelerate the low-carbon transition, we develop a spatiotemporal multi-objective model for China’s power system that optimizes GTSD by minimizing transition costs and maximizing RE penetration. Our results indicate that carbon neutrality can be reached by 2053, 7 years earlier than under the business-as-usual scenario, with an 18.1% reduction in system costs. The synergistically optimized layout increases generation and storage capacities by 24.8% and 95.4%, respectively, and reduces interregional transmission requirements by 15.5%. As a result, the RE share in installed capacity and power generation rises by 8.1% and 16.7%, respectively. This study provides a replicable synergy framework to guide cost-effective decarbonization of power systems. Science for society: The low-carbon transition of China’s power systems is crucial for advancing the global energy transition. However, this sector faces resource mismatches and the unbalance between renewable energy penetration and cost efficiency during the transition. To address these issues, we developed a multi-objective model for China’s power system to optimize the spatial and temporal layout of the generation capacity, transmission networks, and energy storage from 2024 to 2060 under 27 power demand scenarios. Results show that the optimized layout can advance China’s carbon neutrality timeline in the power sector from 2060 under the business-as-usual scenario to 2053 while also reducing transition costs by 18.1%. The solution can not only be an important lever for China in its commitment to carbon neutrality but also potentially contribute to multiple sustainable development goals by advancing the global agenda for cost-effective solutions to accelerate energy transition.
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BibTeX
@article{yu2026coordinated,
title = {{Coordinated generation, transmission, storage, and demand planning accelerates cost-effective decarbonization in China}},
author = {Shiwei Yu and Shuangshuang Zhou and Ya-Fang Sun and Bin Su and Yi-Ming Wei},
journal = {Cell Reports Sustainability},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.crsus.2026.100774},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsus.2026.100774},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Coordinated generation, transmission, storage, and demand planning accelerates cost-effective decarbonization in China
AU - Shiwei Yu
AU - Shuangshuang Zhou
AU - Ya-Fang Sun
AU - Bin Su
AU - Yi-Ming Wei
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Cell Reports Sustainability
DO - 10.1016/j.crsus.2026.100774
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsus.2026.100774
AB - Increasing shares of renewable energy (RE) are reshaping power systems and creating unprecedented challenges in the spatiotemporal synergy of power generation, transmission, storage, and demand (GTSD). Existing fragmented planning strategies inadequately address resource mismatch and the trade-off between RE penetration and cost efficiency. Here, to accelerate the low-carbon transition, we develop a spatiotemporal multi-objective model for China’s power system that optimizes GTSD by minimizing transition costs and maximizing RE penetration. Our results indicate that carbon neutrality can be reached by 2053, 7 years earlier than under the business-as-usual scenario, with an 18.1% reduction in system costs. The synergistically optimized layout increases generation and storage capacities by 24.8% and 95.4%, respectively, and reduces interregional transmission requirements by 15.5%. As a result, the RE share in installed capacity and power generation rises by 8.1% and 16.7%, respectively. This study provides a replicable synergy framework to guide cost-effective decarbonization of power systems. Science for society: The low-carbon transition of China’s power systems is crucial for advancing the global energy transition. However, this sector faces resource mismatches and the unbalance between renewable energy penetration and cost efficiency during the transition. To address these issues, we developed a multi-objective model for China’s power system to optimize the spatial and temporal layout of the generation capacity, transmission networks, and energy storage from 2024 to 2060 under 27 power demand scenarios. Results show that the optimized layout can advance China’s carbon neutrality timeline in the power sector from 2060 under the business-as-usual scenario to 2053 while also reducing transition costs by 18.1%. The solution can not only be an important lever for China in its commitment to carbon neutrality but also potentially contribute to multiple sustainable development goals by advancing the global agenda for cost-effective solutions to accelerate energy transition.
SN - 2949-7906
ER -