Review of transmission schemes and case studies for renewable power integration into the remote grid

Investment in transmission for renewable power penetration to the remote grid essentially faces a set of inherent, regulatory, economic and technical challenges. This work investigates these challenges to enhance renewable power integration into the remote grid. This study aims to enhance regulatory policies and associated planning frameworks to be more efficient and justifiable for renewable power integration paradigm. First, a set of leading transmission schemes practiced, or investigated, in different countries are evaluated against the challenges which are obvious for long distance renewable power transmission. Second, a net benefit framework is presented to address the challenging issues of location constrained renewable power penetration into the Queensland network of the Australian grid. The proposed framework incorporates the carbon emission price as an environmental benefit which significantly influences the cost–benefit analysis. This paper discusses the ‘hub approach’ of network integration. The transmission investment cost allocation is addressed here as well. The concepts are verified through the implementation of the proposed framework in four prospective projects of the Queensland network in the Australian national electricity market (NEM).