Assessment of the security of energy supply in Portugal in 2035-2040 and analysis of possible alternatives

11/27/2023

The transition towards a decarbonized economy has meant an abandonment of the historical system for electricity production in Portugal, that relied heavily on non-renewable thermal power plants. The national option for decarbonization based itself in building a system highly reliant on intermittent renewable energy sources. This option was not necessarily the best to ensure energy security in the coming decades, as renewable energy sources are not capable of providing a consistent source of electricity to fulfill demand at every hour across the year. This work begins by simulating the energy system in Portugal for the years 2035 and 2040 on an hourly basis, using various scenarios from the RMSA and historical years as references, and concluding the reality and severity of that crisis. From there, the project moves forward to proposing an alternative energy system that, including nuclear power and a power-to-power hydrogen production system, could provide for a decarbonized energy system and ensure energy security across the year. This solution proves to be promising in terms of economic viability, with the addition of a nuclear baseload greatly improving the hydrogen output in the system.

Authors in the community:

• 

  M

  Miguel Florêncio Bessone Mauritti

  ist190147

Supervisors of this institution:

• 

  B

  Bruno Miguel Soares Gonçalves

  ist24515

mechanical-engineering - Mechanical engineering

por - Portuguese

Instituto Superior Técnico