The social network perspective on power system co-evolution: Responses to ‘Double Carbon Target’ realization in China

Abstract

Abstract The low-carbon and efficient development of power system is guided by the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization (Double Carbon). Increasing the proportion of renewable energy in power system can effectively reduce the carbon emissions in power system. However, renewable energy presents an adaptive problem of how to regulate the overall power systems in a stable and safe state. Therefore, our work constructs an evolutionary topological network by analyzing the dynamic evolution rule of power systems, and then discusses the relationship between the power system agent’s role and the dynamic structure. We reveal the methods for power system co-evolution under the influence of both internal and external factor, aiming at the low carbon and stable developing requirement. We found that the key measures to solve the synergistic evolution of the power system are to increase energy storage, stabilize renewable energy supply, break the inter-provincial barriers in electricity transmission, and build a smart power system at multiple levels to achieve the ultimate goal of a smart, low-carbon, secure and interconnected future. Through the Link Analysis, we found that future power systems will maintain mild coordination between each agent rather than applying large scale de-alignment and reconfiguration. The controller while the roles of the residential user and researcher are becoming more flexible; nevertheless, the energy shortage agent, as a resource coordinator but with a negative contribution index, must be developed further to adapt to new power systems. We believe that obstacles can be overcome by promoting cohesion between the network and agents through more technological innovation and large-scale market diffusion to motivate co-evolution.