Combining Investment, Dispatch, and Security Models - An Assessment of Future Electricity Market Options for Switzerland

The trend toward decarbonization and decentralization of electricity systems requires more analyses that link reliability, dispatch, and capacity expansion models. In this paper, a cross-disciplinary combination of linked models is presented that integrates bottom-up analyses with multiple technical layers to address fundamentals of electricity markets and grids with top-down long-term investment considerations. This modeling framework is used to simulate the planned phase-out of nuclear power in the central European system with a focus on Switzerland. The exemplary results demonstrate high future electricity prices across central Europe and investment in biomass and solar capacities in Switzerland. Initial results from the Dispatch and Security models illustrate the details these models can provide in terms of the production over time and the location of critical elements in the transmission network.