UC Riverside

The push for multi-sector decarbonization in the electric grids around the world has created the need for significant investment in the electrical grid. Over the next two decades, the bulk power system will be transformed from being historically dominated by gas-fired generation to dominated by wind, solar, and energy storage resources. Due to the large costs associated with investment and operation, and the importance of maintaining reliability in this critical infrastructure, a comprehensive investment plan is crucial.

This dissertation looks at the California power system decarbonization problem through several lenses. The first concerns a novel formulation for decarbonization planning which incorporates more detailed modeling of gas-fired generation, and an advanced solution algorithm which enables its practical utility. Then, several novel methods for temporal sampling in these models are proposed. Finally, two case studies are considered. The first examines the impact of smart charging for medium- and heavy-duty battery electric vehicles on the decarbonization plan. The second concerns scenario analysis around climate change pathways. At the same time, a novel method for ensuring reliable power system investments, with specific regard to decarbonized portfolios, is proposed.