Carbon Emission Flow From Generation to Demand: A Network-Based Model

Clarification of the responsibility for carbon emission is fundamental in a carbon-constrained world. Existing statistical methods for carbon emission estimation usually attribute the emission responsibility to the generation side. However, a growing number of analysis across different sectors has pointed out that “consumers” rather than “producers” should be responsible for the CO₂ emitted during the production. In power system, it is consumers that create the need for the combustion of fossil fuels and cause substantial carbon emission. In order to account carbon emission from the consumption-based perspective, carbon emission generated by various generators can be seen as a virtual attachment to the power flow and accumulated at the consumer´s side. A novel analytical model for carbon emission flow (CEF) is proposed in this paper to quantify the carbon emission accompanying the power delivery process. The newly developed model of CEF can take into account the operational characteristics and the network features of power system, and elaborately characterize the relationship between power delivery and CEF. Some basic concepts of CEF in power networks are defined, and the fundamental characteristics and distribution principles of CEF are analyzed. Furthermore, a novel calculation model for CEF in power networks is proposed. A case study is conducted based on the IEEE 118 bus system to illustrate the calculation process and result of CEF in power system.