Scheduling Large-Scale Renewable Energy: Through Cross-Regional Generation–Load Balancing

Because of the geographical distribution of renewable energy resources, the regional mismatch of renewable energy production and electricity consumption is now a logistical and a planning challenge in power systems worldwide. Interregional and intraregional generation–load balancing is an emerging techno-management strategy that offers an effective and economical means of scheduling large-scale renewable energy. In this article, we introduce multiple practices of cross-regional power system operation and market organization with large-scale renewable energy around the world, and in China specifically. An overview of key technologies, including the modeling and operation of interregional tie lines, coordinated optimization algorithms, and new resources of flexibility on the demand side, is presented. This evolving planning–engineering–operational nexus of theory and practice provides significant insights into the challenges and prospects of scheduling large-scale renewable energy for regional decarbonization through cross-regional operations and transaction.