Renewables and CCGTS:Competitors or Complementary ?

Andrew  Morris, Director Poyry Energy, looks at the relationship between renewables and Ccgts and whether they are competitors or complementary. He concludes that increasing renewable generation leads to less predictable running patterns for thermal generation plant including CCGTs. As a consequence, gas demand becomes more volatile in many of the largest gas consuming countries in Europe. The gas market is well positioned to be able to cope with the increasingly volatile demand in the short term and with a modest level of investment to meet the  demands in the long term. CCGTs and renewables might compete on a day by day basis, but overall there is a role for both within a low carbon generation mix.