Publications
The 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP) publications provide information about and analysis of market design and regulatory issues for clean energy and 21st century power systems. Published work appears in scientific journals and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory publications database.
Thought Leadership Publications »
Thought Leadership Publications provide information about and analysis of market design and regulatory issues for clean energy and 21st century power systems.
Featured Publications
Lessons Learned for Rapid Decarbonization of Power Sectors
September 2022
This report covers key lessons learned for the rapid decarbonization of power sectors,
emphasizing best practices in planning, building, and operating electricity systems. Decarbonization covers
all greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. The intended audience
of this report consists of energy ministers and other high-level energy sector decision
makers.
Lessons Learned for Rapid Decarbonization of Power Sectors: Key Lessons for Energy
Ministers
(Two-Page Fact Sheet)
September 2022
This report covers key lessons learned for the rapid decarbonization of power systems,
emphasizing best practices in planning, building, and operating power systems. This
report is the result of a collaborative effort among various Clean Energy Ministerial
(CEM) workstreams and partner initiatives. The contents are not intended to be comprehensive
of all power sector topics, and there may be overlap between content in each section
due to the nature of this first-of-its-kind collaborative effort to deliver unified
messaging on power sector decarbonization to energy ministers. This work is intended
to complement other work at the CEM and offers options for consideration, not specific
policy recommendations.
Clean Grid Vision: A U.S. Perspective
September 2021
This report aims to present perspectives on the main issues in future grid development,
covering both supply and demand. It focuses on the lessons learned through the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory and the 21st Century Power Partnership Initiative's studies
of the U.S. power sector that have measured the impacts of high-penetration variable
renewable energy and tested strategies for enhancing grid flexibility and reliability.
As such, this report is limited in its scope and does not attempt to review or summarize
all power system literature. Although it refers to relevant external literature to
provide context when needed, this study is primarily a summary of the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory and the Century Power Partnership Initiative's research over the
past five years on five topics, which each correspond to the five chapters in the
report.
Other Publications
Transmission Planning With Renewable Energy Zones (REZ): Overview, Select Case Studies, and Key Enablers
March 2023
The REZ transmission planning process is a proactive method to plan, approve, and
build transmission infrastructure that connects high-quality and large-scale renewable
resources to the power system. This presentation was developed for a technical side
event focused on transmission systems to facilitate the rapid decarbonization of power
systems at the Clean Energy Ministerial Senior Officials Meeting in March 2023. This
document contains a synthesis of key REZ case studies throughout the world and is
intended as a resource for policymakers and energy planners.
Experiences from the Power System Flexibility Campaign
September 2022
This publication highlights policy findings and experiences in implementing CEM workstreams
during the Power System Flexibility Campaign.
The Role of Demand Management in the Utility of the Future
April 2014
Demand management and distributed generation could transform how consumers interact
with the electricity grid and manage energy. Energy consumers may be shifting to view
themselves as both consumers and increasingly as suppliers - with renewable energy
generation on-site and demand response capability. This new consumer model and the
concept of a distributed energy system may be disruptive to the traditional utility
model.
Country-Level Publications
Brazil
Brazil joined 21CPP in mid-2017, and dialogue is currently underway on priorities for collaboration.
Featured Presentations
Capacity Value of Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) Resources
May 2018
This webinar focused on the use of capacity expansion models in long-term planning
and how they ensure "enough" capacity is built if significant quantities of variable
renewable generation exist. NREL's capacity expansion model, ReEDS (Regional Energy
Deployment System), is described. It also describes the concept of capacity value
and different techniques used to quantify it .
Large-Scale Integration of Variable Renewable Energy: Key Issues and Emerging Trends
March 2018
This webinar summarized key lessons, trends and best practices associated with integrating
utility-scale VRE into grids, with a special in-depth case study from India
China »
Featured Publications
China Renewable Energy Outlook 2017
November 2017
This report focuses on China’s options for a low-carbon energy transition through
2050, and the short-term actions needed to remove obstacles for renewable energy development.
India »
Featured Publications
Greening the Grid: Pathways To Integrate 175 Gigawatts of Renewable Energy into India's Electric Grid
June 2017
This study used specially designed weather and power system modeling to identify how
India’s power system balances generation and demand throughout the year.
Read the overview to learn more.
Mexico »
Featured Publications
Mexico Clean Energy Report
April 2022
Mexico is ideally positioned to become a clean energy powerhouse given its world-class
renewable energy resource potential and the low cost of renewable energy generation.
This report highlights how rapid growth in renewable energy deployment in Mexico could
generate high levels of investment, increase energy access, reduce costs to consumers,
and—together with other actions—improve the reliability and resilience of Mexico's
power system.
Impacts Analysis of Amendments to Mexico's Unit Commitment and Dispatch Rules
January 2022
This report quantifies the potential impacts on Mexico's power systems of amendments
both published and under discussion to Mexico's electricity legal framework, along
with market rules that would modify the way electricity generators are committed and
dispatched.
A Report on the Implementation of Smart Grids in Mexico
January 2019
This report presents a compilation of data and information from many sources that
document Mexico’s progress in implementing a Smart Grid as part of ongoing efforts
to transform its electric power industry.
Baja California Sur Renewable Integration Study
November 2018
The goal of the Baja California Sur (BCS) Renewable Integration Study is to evaluate
the potential impacts of increasing penetration levels of wind and solar power on
BCS’s bulk power system operations for the year 2024, which is the year Mexico has
set the goal of reaching 35% of total electricity generation clean energy sources.
South Africa »
Featured Publications
Preliminary Findings of the South Africa Power System Capacity Expansion and Operational Model Study
January 2018
This state-of-the-art grid integration study examined the effects of potential high
penetrations of variable renewable energy on South Africa’s power system. To achieve
this, NREL developed, tested, and ran a combined capacity expansion and operational
model of the South African power system including spatially disaggregated detail and
geographical representation of system resources. New software to visualize and interpret
modelling outputs was developed, and scenario analysis of stepwise variable renewable
energy build targets provides new insight into associated planning and operational
impacts and costs.
21st Century Power Partnership: September 2016 Fellowship Report
September 2017
This Fellowship is a follow-up to the “Technical Audit of Eskom’s Medium- and Long-term
Modelling Capabilities,” conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
in April 2016. The prospect and role of variable renewable energy (vRE) in South Africa
poses new modelling-related challenges that Eskom is actively working to address by
improving the fidelity of PLEXOS LT and ST models.