Restriction lift date: 2024-12-31
Applications of big data and machine learning in global energy system modelling
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Date
2022
Authors
Joshi, Siddharth
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
Global efforts to limit atmospheric warming well below 2 degree celcius above pre-industrial levels form the backbone of our response to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change. The energy sector contributes circa 75% of global GHG emissions, amongst which the Electricity and Heat sectors each contribute ~40%, and the Transport sector contributes ~20% to the total global energy-related GHG emissions. The recent IPCC AR6 report finds that in nearly all possible emission scenarios considered, the world is heading towards a 1.5 degree celcius global temperature rise by the early 2030s. Pursuant to this, Energy Systems Models (ESMs) and Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) are essential tools that provide energy system pathways to limit global warming below the temperature threshold. Thus, improving the accuracies of ESMs and IAMs will lead to measurable improvement in energy policy formulation and evaluation,thereby increasing the likelihood of meeting the commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
This thesis develops and applies novel frameworks and methods that use a big data and machine learning driven strategy to improve the technology potential assessment of global decentralised solar PV technology and projection of transport energy service demand. The frameworks and methods developed in this thesis are presented in a format of methodological design principles followed by a case study using them. Specifically, on the supply side, the thesis investigates the global high-resolution spatiotemporal technical potential of rooftop solar PV for 2015 and further growth in the technical potentials from 2020-2050. For this assessment case study, the developed framework utilises a suite of GIS derived geospatial metrics in conjunction with a custom machine learning framework to calculate the global rooftop area at a high spatial resolution. Further using an IAM, the role of decentralised solar PV in global future energy transitions is explored. On the demand side, the thesis introduces a new machine learning model called ‘TrebuNet’ that is capable of high accuracy in estimating future energy service demand in the transport sector. The thesis thus provides the first development of machine learning and GIS based methods to improve the accuracy of global ESMs and IAMs. Particular attention is also paid towards the reproduction and transparency of the methods and the frameworks developed in this thesis for cross- disciplinary research.
The thesis contributes to the important task of climate change mitigation by providing a bridge between mature IAM and ESM modelling and emerging machine learning-big data-driven tools. In doing so, this thesis demonstrates how the emerging methods in conjunction with large geospatial open source data, can aid in improving the technology representation of variable renewable energy technology in energy systems. The thesis also lays the foundation for providing solutions to energy system related tasks that are currently limited by high computational costs and data. The datasets and analysis generated by this thesis are presently assisting in unlocking the global role of decentralised renewable energy technologies in future energy systems and are also encouraging shifts in national decarbonisation pathways.
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Embargoed
Keywords
Geographic information system , GIS , Machine learning , Big data , Neural networks , Transport demand , Rooftop solar PV , Photovoltaics , Resource asessment , Energy systems , Integrated asessment modelling , Electricity , Energy access , Energy justice , Global , Renewable energy
Citation
Joshi, S. 2022. Applications of big data and machine learning in global energy system modelling. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.