The Impact of Capital Subsidy Incentive on Renewable Energy Deployment in Long-Term Power Generation Expansion Planning

Abstract

Capital investment cost is the major obstacle to the increasing share of electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E). Therefore, RES-E incentive mechanisms are incorporated into markets to compensate cost-related barriers and to increase RES-E deployment rate. In this study, t he impact of direct capital investment subsidy on RES-E in generation expansion planning (GEP) has been analyzed and deployment rates of renewable power plants have been defined. The effect of current subsidy mechanisms on the installed power capacity of various sources has also been analyzed and policy recommendations have been put forth in the light of the characteristics of Turkey’s current subsidization mechanism and its outcomes. Genetic algorithm was applied to solve the GEP problem. The share of non-hydro renewable power plants for future additions in overall installed power was determined as 9.45% without the proposed incentive, while it was estimated to rise to 13.65% when it was promoted by direct capital investment subsidy of 50%. The deployment rates of renewable power plants are expected to grow as the imported coal share in total installed power is expected to decline after applying the proposed subsidy.