This is a past event.

ME-EM Virtual Graduate Seminar Speaker Series

proudly presents

Naga Srujana Goteti, PhD

Electric Power Research Institute

Abstract

The electricity sector contributes to a quarter of global greenhouse emissions, and managing its evolution is a critical sustainability challenge. The context for the development and operation of electricity grids has dramatically changed in recent years. Lower costs of wind and solar combined with the shale revolution have brought wind/solar, and natural gas to the forefront. On the other hand, energy storage is gaining traction, notably amongst policymakers, to support the variable renewable generation. In this talk, I introduce new modeling features that affect the economic and environmental outcomes of the adoption of renewable and storage technologies. I present about how the storage operation could affect the environmental outcomes and economic performance of both renewables and fossil plants. The model indicates that storage operating on increasing revenues increases carbon emissions when it enables a high emissions generator, such as a coal plant, to substitute for a cleaner plant, such as natural gas. Also, in most fossil fuel heavy grids, less flexible units (coal and nuclear) benefit the most from additional storage, followed by wind, solar, and hydro. I will conclude by summarizing both ongoing work and future research streams, which focus on the interactions between renewables, fossil fuels, and energy storage to achieve lower emissions.

Bio

Dr. Naga Srujana Goteti is a Technical Leader in the Energy Systems and Climate Analysis Group at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Her research areas are building algorithmic solutions and policy simulation tools using primary/secondary data analyses, linear/nonlinear optimization, econometrics, and engineering principles in the energy and power system’s world. She currently works on long-term resource planning, electricity system policies, and cost and performance of various energy systems. Before joining EPRI, Dr. Goteti pursued postdoctoral research at MIT Energy Initiative. During this time, she focused on the techno-economic assessment of macro energy systems and capacity expansion modeling for the utilities. Also, she has experience working in various positions in energy consulting, national laboratory, oil and gas, and IT industries in the US, Thailand, and India. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Masters in Energy from Asian Institute of Technology, and a doctorate in Sustainability Studies from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Invited by: Ana Dyreson