Water transfer and losses embodied in the West–East electricity transmission project in China

Water-saving co-benefits of CO2 reduction in China’s electricity sector

“…The construction of large-scale ultra-high voltage power transmission lines accelerates interregional electricity trade within China. 34 , 36 The large-scale electricity trade alleviates the electricity shortage and contributes to the exchanges of virtual water and embodied CO 2 among grid-connected regions within China. 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 The inter-provincial electricity trade increased from 485 TWh in 2008 to 727 TWh in 2012 and 1129 TWh in 2017, by 12.5% yr −1 and 11.1% yr −1 in each period, respectively.…”

“… 35 , 36 The environmental-extended input-output analysis calculates the water consumption (CO 2 emission) embodied in the total supply chain, whereas the Quasi-Input-Output model could quantify the water consumption (CO 2 emission) embodied in electricity trade by considering higher-order electricity transfers in a multi-connected electricity network among regions within China. 20 , 36 , 37 To capture the characteristics of electricity trade network, we adopt the Quasi-Input-Output model (QIO) to quantify the virtual water and CO 2 emission embodied in interregional electricity trade and extend environmental protection responsibilities among regions. 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 …”

Is there a grid-connected effect of grid infrastructure on renewable energy generation? Evidence from China's upgrading transmission lines

“…To promote the optimal allocation and use of RES power generation across the country, regions with abundant RES often produce renewable energy power in the form of multi-energy complementation and bundling on the transmission network, which is continuously sent to all parts of the country through various large-scale transmission projects such as the West–East Electricity Transmission project. 3,52,53 The policy of renewable energy electricity consumption guarantee mechanism is to promote the use of renewable energy power from the consumption side of the supply chain terminal and set up the assessment standards of renewable energy power consumption weight and non-hydropower RES power consumption weight by province. The policy of establishing and improving the renewable energy electricity consumption guarantee mechanism aims at the assessment system of RES power consumption weight set up by each province, which can effectively promote the use of RES power on the consumer side, improve the terminal energy structure, and bring a more obvious role in promoting energy conservation and emission reduction.…”

Inter-Provincial Power Transmission and Its Embodied Carbon Flow in China: Uneven Green Energy Transition Road to East and West

“…However, the electricity consumption in western provinces was relatively small because of a long period of lower economic growth. Therefore, China officially launched the WEPT project in 2000 to utilize coal and water resources in the Northeast, Northwest, and Southwest regions to generate electricity and transmit it to the eastern coastal area [43].…”

“…Furthermore, the government of China adjusted its energy development strategy to focus on the construction of energy bases mainly located in resource endowment provinces after 2003. With the construction of coal power, wind and solar clean energy bases in the northwest and the vigorous development of hydropower resources in the southwest, the surplus of power resources in the western region has grown rapidly [43]. On the other hand, the existing coal resources in the eastern coastal provinces were almost exhausted, and the clean energy development there is restricted by land and resource endowments, so the power gap is gradually increasing.…”