Regional solar power generation quota

What is a 'three-North' energy quota?

Though some “Three-north” areas are rich in renewable energy, the consumption of thermal power is lower and produces less carbon emissions. 12 provinces which are mostly located in the middle east and south of China have an initial quota of 50–100 billion kWh.

What data is included in the power quota data set?

The data set includes the annual power generation of each power plant, the physical features of power plants and the hourly demand of each province. While the quota enforcement is stringent 22, 23, we use plant generation as the proxy of the quota.

Are regional carbon quotas fair?

The research of existing scholars on regional carbon quotas is mainly based on fairness and efficiency, and the issue of fairness is important in international climate negotiations ( Lange et al., 2007; Groh and Ziegler, 2018 ).

How are regional quotas allocated?

In terms of allocation methods, the existing methods for allocating regional quotas are mainly divided into indicator methods, optimization methods, game theory methods, and hybrid methods.

What is the egalitarian quota protocol?

According to the regulations of the egalitarian quota protocol, the government sets a power generation quota for every power plant 21. The quota allocation is contingent on a complex of principles and policies, such as the profit–opportunity–equality principle and energy-efficiency operation policy 22, 23.

What if solar investment costs decrease compared to 2014 levels?

If solar investment costs decrease to 33% compared with 2014 levels (Fig. 1a), most of the capacity is installed in Bavaria as photovoltaic power plants (81% share of renewable power), while some of the capacity is installed in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony as wind turbines (19% share of renewable power).