Low-Carbon Transition Test System With Multiple Stages and Emerging Technologies

Power systems worldwide are undergoing a transition toward a low-carbon future. The structure of low-carbon power systems and the pathways to achieve them remain uncertain due to the rapid evolution of low-carbon technologies. Moreover, advanced planning algorithms should be developed to address the high complexity of planning problems. A standard test system is required to evaluate various prospects of power system transition and planning optimization algorithms. This paper introduces a novel test system, PROSPECT-43, dedicated to the power system's transition towards the carbon-mitigation target. The test system represents a load center region with an AC-DC hybrid transmission network. The test system incorporates multiple emerging technologies such as low-carbon generation technology, transmission technology and new types of loads (including data centers and power-to-hydrogen industry), enabling researchers to explore the impact of individual technologies and their synergies. The test system provides comprehensive data necessary for long-term power system planning, including candidate units, load growth, the carbon emission budget, etc. This paper provides a detailed description of the test system from the perspectives of the transmission network, generation, storage, and load. In addition, benchmark low-carbon transition pathways are proposed for the test system.