S. Vlachogiannis, Multicriteria evaluation of historical reforms in electricity components across Europe, Diploma thesis, 109 pages, Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering – National Technical University of Athens, July 2024.
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[English]
The electricity domain in Europe has undergone significant changes during the last 30 years. The technological advancements of the last decades in the sector have introduced new and effective methods of electricity production, and renewable sources like wind and solar power have achieved a large-scale integration into most of the continent’s energy systems. At the same time, most European nations are continuously limiting the use of conventional sources for electric power generation, considering their negative impact on climate change. They adopt energy policies based on a low-carbon model of electricity production principally supported by renewables, in an attempt to mitigate the consequences to the environment and enhance energy security. In this thesis, we investigate the historical reforms in electricity components and the transformation of these systems across 30 European countries. A key outcome of this research is the formation of an energy identity for each nation, by examining the composition of the power generation mix and total generation capacity. We also study the evolution in the use of renewables for electricity generation and discuss how the changes in the use of each energy source affect capacity factors. Finally, the research provides useful conclusions about the effect of energy transition and the continents’ economic growth on electricity markets.
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