The Value of Increased HVDC Capacity Between Eastern and Western U.S. Grids: The Interconnections Seam Study
- NextEra Analytics, Saint Paul, MN (United States)
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, IA (United States)
- Black and Veatch, Overland Park, KS (United States)
- New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), Rensselaer, NY (United States)
- Grid Strategies LLC, Bethesda, MD (United States)
- Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Carmel, IN (United States)
The Interconnections Seam Study examines the potential economic value of increasing electricity transfer between the Eastern and Western Interconnections using high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission and cost-optimizing both generation and transmission resources across the United States. The study conducted a multi-model analysis that used co-optimized generation and transmission expansion planning and production cost modeling. Four transmission designs under eight scenarios were developed and studied to estimate costs and potential benefits. The results show benefit-to-cost ratios that reach as high as 2.9, indicating significant value to increasing the transmission capacity between the interconnections under the cases considered, realized through sharing generation resources and flexibility across regions.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Wind Energy Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Electricity (OE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1696787
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-6A20-76850; MainId:10494; UUID:bcda8557-8328-49f8-b301-a6d8e3cab522; MainAdminID:18745
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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