LAUSR

Abstract The global sustainable transformation to low-carbon energy system spawns cleaner power system that integrates higher shares of renewable energy. This restructuring process has been taken into consideration in existing research to develop a deep understanding of the effect of renewable energy on power system planning. The purpose of the paper is to provide readers with insights into the changes of optimization models brought by largely penetration of variable renewable energy. We screen out 34 studies of power system planning considering increasing variable renewable energy, and then the models of which are further deconstructed and compared. The results show that it is increasingly important to focus on the short-term system operations in the planning models integrating variable renewables, specially the constraints of flexible generation, interregional transmission as well as energy storage and demand side response. Compared with the traditional planning models, there is great uncertainty when newly parameters related to renewables are introduced. Four fifths of studies perform uncertainty analysis, especially aiming at scenarios with different penetration levels of renewable energy.