To reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, many countries have embarked on transitions in their energy systems, notably by deploying solar and wind farms. These new sources require the construction of a system of flexibilities capable of integrating their fatal and intermittent production into the...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Académie des sciences
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Comptes Rendus. Chimie |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/chimie/articles/10.5802/crchim.396/ |
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| Summary: | To reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, many countries have embarked on transitions in their energy systems, notably by deploying solar and wind farms. These new sources require the construction of a system of flexibilities capable of integrating their fatal and intermittent production into the power grid. In a previous publication, two of the authors studied the sizing and composition of this system based on storage, controllable generation, consumption curtailment, and exchanges. Another critical aspect of the energy transition is the evolution of the energy return on investment (EROI) of the electricity mix. The literature provides values for the EROI of sources, i.e., the ratio of the total quantity of electricity produced by the plant to the energy invested in its life cycle; some add storage to smooth out their production within a day; but there are few simulations of the system of flexibilities needed to operate over the year. This is what we present here for the French case, with the flexibilities previously defined for two mixes envisaged for 2050. We find an EROI of around 6.6 for the 50% nuclear/50% renewable mix, and 2.3 for the 100% renewable mix, whereas today the EROI of the mix is around 25.5. These low values are mainly due to the impact of storages linked to the development of intermittent energies. To determine whether these mixes are sustainable for our society, the values obtained are compared with literature estimates of the minimum EROI for the operation of a reasonably developed country. |
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| ISSN: | 1878-1543 |