From phase transition to energy transition: What can we learn from physics?

Ariane Millot (1) , Nadia Maïzi (1) , Vincent Mazauric (2)

1 CMA - Centre de Mathématiques Appliquées
2 SE - Schneider Electric

In order to better understand the energy transition, we develop an analogy with phase transitions in physics. Phase transitions are triggered by the variation of a state variable at the transition point: a dramatic qualitative modification occurs. For the energy system, we use a TIMES bottom-up model that optimizes the pathway of this system. By analogy, we consider a pathway of the energy system as a phase in physics and the total discounted cost of the energy system as the Gibbs free energy. In physics, the transition between two phases is possible if their Gibbs free energies have the same value. Likewise, the transition between two pathways of the energy system is possible if their costs are similar. By applying this methodology to the French energy system we exhibit a transition between two pathways with different electricity mixes.

Mots clés: Phase transition; stability; energy system; prospective; decarbonization pathways

Domaines: Environnement et Société; Ingénierie de l'environnement

Ariane Millot, Nadia Maïzi, Vincent Mazauric. From phase transition to energy transition: What can we learn from physics?. Energy Procedia, 2019, 158, pp.3930-3936. ⟨10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.850⟩. ⟨hal-02495521⟩