Temporal carbon intensity analysis: renewable versus fossil fuel dominated electricity systems.

In order to overcome the negative effects of climate change and ensure a global low-carbon future, decarbonizing the electricity sector has been recognized as an important focus area. Internationally, policymakers use average carbon intensity (in gCO₂-e/kWh) in calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the electricity system. However, average carbon intensity is a single rate and a fixed quantity; thus, it does not provide any information about the time-varying nature of carbon intensity. The focus of this paper is to show the usefulness of time-varying carbon intensity estimation, which can provide detailed insights into GHG emissions, and help in identifying potential emission cut opportunities from the electricity sector in order to lessen atmospheric pollution. Time-varying carbon intensity estimation (i) reveals temporal variability of carbon intensity, (ii) explores the interplay between generations and emissions, (iii) identifies peak carbon-intensive hours, and (iv) provides evidence for designing appropriate demand-side management strategies with respect to GHG emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]