Renewable Energy最新文献

{"title":"An integrated thermo-electric performance evaluation and design decision-making framework for closed-air-cavity sandwich-type wall-integrated photovoltaics","authors":"Lei Qu,&nbsp;Dengjia Wang,&nbsp;Yanfeng Liu,&nbsp;Yingying Wang,&nbsp;Xingzhen Deng,&nbsp;Jianhua Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Closed-air-cavity sandwich-type wall-integrated photovoltaics (SWIPV) provide power-generation and building-envelope functions, but their complex electrical and thermal behavior challenges the simultaneous calculation and evaluation of thermo-electric performance and engineering design. By analyzing the different operating mechanisms during daytime and nighttime, this study proposes cumulative electricity generation (<em>E</em>_SWIPV) and the period-averaged operational apparent equivalent heat-transfer coefficient (<em>K</em>_SWIPV) to characterize thermo-electric performance, respectively, and develops a coupled calculation model. Furthermore, by incorporating the comprehensive performance index (<em>CI)</em> and performance balance index (<em>BI</em>), an integrated evaluation and design decision-making framework is established. Experiments were conducted to verify the accuracy of the model. The response regularity of thermo-electric performance and the corresponding design decisions were analyzed by constructing combined conditions involving nine representative sites in 5 Chinese climate zones, 3 facade orientations, and various air layer thicknesses. Results show that the maximum model error is below 6.0%; differences in <em>E</em>_SWIPV among climate zones are mainly determined by facade irradiation, whereas <em>K</em>_SWIPV is jointly affected by facade irradiation, air temperature, and seasonal distribution; nighttime Scenario 2 contributes 31.8% and 22.0% to <em>K</em>_SWIPV in Guangzhou and Nanchang, respectively; <em>E</em>_SWIPV and <em>K</em>_SWIPV tend to stabilize when air layer thickness exceeds 300 mm; climate and air layer thickness are the dominant factors affecting <em>E</em>_SWIPV and <em>K</em>_SWIPV, respectively; under the thickness-constrained scenario, the South-200 mm scheme is recommended for 8 sites except Guiyang under all 5 weighting coefficients. The framework can be transferred to other regions by inputting candidate conditions, local meteorological data, and design preferences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 126568"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149204544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Net-Zero carbon pathway for integrated energy systems: co-optimizing biomass-coupled carbon capture and trans-seasonal thermal storage dispatch","authors":"Bingyan Zhang,&nbsp;Shixing Ding,&nbsp;Zhigang Lu,&nbsp;Jiangyong Zhang,&nbsp;Yao Cai,&nbsp;Ershun Du,&nbsp;Jiangfeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126556","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;A near-zero-carbon IES dispatch framework integrate BECCS and mine-water heat storage&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;Coal-biomass co-firing is coupled with CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; capture-mineralization&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;Mine-water heat storage recovers waste heat for seasonal heat-load shifting&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;span&gt;•&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&lt;div&gt;CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; mineralization cuts capture energy use by 51.73% and IES cost by 32.41%&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;To facilitate the low-carbon transition of energy systems and enhance renewable energy accommodation, this paper proposes a near-zero carbon scheduling framework for electricity-gas-heat integrated energy systems, which integrates full-cycle synergistic optimization of carbon source-capture-mineralization processes and trans-seasonal energy storage, addressing the dual challenges of high carbon emissions from coal-fired units and renewable energy curtailment caused by seasonal supply-demand imbalances. First, considering the zero-carbon attributes of biomass and carbon capture-mineralization technology, a coal-biomass co-firing system integrated with carbon capture-mineralization processes is established to analyze its electric-carbon coupling dynamics and emission reduction mechanisms. Second, a mine water-based trans-seasonal thermal storage system is introduced to reduce renewable energy curtailment and achieve deep decarbonization through spatiotemporal heat transfer. Finally, a co-optimization dispatch model is developed, incorporating synergistic reserves from biomass-coupled carbon capture plants and hydrogen storage systems. At the same time, energy characteristics under typical days in different seasons are analyzed. Simulation results show that the proposed model reduces system operating cost by 32.41%, decreases carbon capture energy consumption by 51.73%, and increases the unit net output by 7.78%, demonstrating its effectiveness in supporting near-zero-carbon IES operation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;To facilitate the low-carbon transition of energy systems and enhance renewable energy accommodation, this paper proposes a near-zero carbon scheduling framework for electricity-gas-heat integrated energy systems, which integrates full-cycle synergistic optimization of carbon source-capture-mineralization processes and trans-seasonal energy storage, addressing the dual challenges of high carbon emissions from coal-fired units and renewable energy curtailment caused by seasonal supply-demand imbalances. First, considering the zero-carbon attributes of biomass and carbon capture-mineralization technology, a coal-biomass co-firing system integrated with carbon capture-mineralization processes is established to analyze its electric-carbon coupling dynamics and emission reduction mechanisms. Second, a mine water-based trans-seasonal thermal storage system is introduced to reduce renewable energy curtailment and achieve deep","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 126556"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149204543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying microbial, enzymatic, and acid-driven pathways of lignocellulose degradation and their impact on methane production in Sudangrass silage","authors":"Haopeng Liu,&nbsp;Junfeng Li,&nbsp;Zhihao Dong,&nbsp;Yushan Jia,&nbsp;Tao Shao,&nbsp;Jie Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lignocellulosic biomass represents a promising feedstock for the sustainable circular bioeconomy. However, its recalcitrant structure necessitates efficient pretreatment. Converting lignocellulosic biomass into renewable energy via anaerobic digestion (AD) often exhibits low degradation efficiency and thus requires optimization to enhance conversion efficiency. Ensiling is a promising, low-cost, and environmentally friendly biological pretreatment method, yet the individual contributions and interactive mechanisms of microbial-, enzymatic-, and acid-driven pathways during lignocellulose degradation have not been fully elucidated. In this work, gamma-ray sterilization, high-temperature enzyme inactivation, and organic acid simulation were employed to isolate and quantify the effects of enzymatic-driven (ED), acid-driven (AD), microbial-driven (BD), and synergistic (SYN) pathways on lignocellulose degradation and methane production during Sudangrass ensiling. Results demonstrated that the BD treatment, driven by synergistic microbial activity and organic acids, achieved the highest lignocellulose degradation rate (LDR, 24.5%) and methane yield (295.20 mL/g VS). The absence of active microbiota in the AD and ED treatments significantly decreased LDR (13.6% and 4.36%, respectively) and reduced methane production (275.50 mL/g VS and 274.40 mL/g VS). The SYN treatment had moderate performance with LDR of 20.3% and methane yield of 284.20 mL/g VS. Structural equation modeling (SEqM) revealed that enzymatic and acid pathways affected methane yield only indirectly via water-soluble carbohydrate release, while the microbial pathway exerted dual direct and indirect effects by simultaneously promoting lignocellulose degradation and sugar metabolism. Furthermore, the potential synergy between microbes and endogenous enzymes was inhibited by rapid acidification. These findings confirm that microbial-driven processes are the dominant mechanism enhancing lignocellulose biodegradability and methane production. This work provides mechanistic insights for optimizing ensiling-based pretreatment to boost the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 126331"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148779259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Economic potential of the energy transition: A regionalized input-output analysis of wind power in Lower Saxony, Germany","authors":"Tobias Mueller,&nbsp;Dilan Türk,&nbsp;Etti Winter,&nbsp;Ulrike Grote","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.126283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wind power is crucial for the energy transition, but regional impacts are still underexplored. This study analyzes the impact of regional datasets for examining the economic footprint and multipliers of regional wind power, differentiating between technology type and lifetime phase. Additionally, the economic and environmental impacts of wind power expansion are evaluated. Lower Saxony, a pioneering wind power region in Northern Germany, is used as a case study. The methodological approach involves constructing a regional input-output table, integrating wind power sectors and developing scenarios consistent with policy objectives. Results reveal the significant economic footprint of wind power in Lower Saxony and emphasize the importance of detailed regional datasets. Onshore wind key component manufacturing and offshore wind installation generate the highest economic multipliers. Offshore wind has greater economic impacts per unit of electricity than onshore wind. Wind power expansion can create substantial gross economic gains, but outcomes strongly depend on regional supply chain integration. Net effects include job losses and substantial reductions in emissions and water use. Policy implications comprise strengthening upstream industries, coping with labor market dynamics, and enhancing regionalized data collection. The study highlights the need for spatially focused approaches to capture the regional dimension of the energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 126283"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148779258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Two-stage distributionally robust optimization model of integrated energy system considering wind–solar joint uncertainties and flexible resources management","authors":"Jie Li ,&nbsp;Jizhen Liu ,&nbsp;Yong Hu ,&nbsp;Yansong Zhu ,&nbsp;Deliang Zeng ,&nbsp;Yunzhi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the proportion of renewable energy in new power system continues to grow, wind and solar energy play a significant role in energy conservation and emission reduction. However, the uncertainty of wind and solar leads to insufficient flexibility in integrated energy system (IES), which greatly affects the safe and stable operation of IES. This paper proposes a Copula-based two-stage distributionally robust optimization (CTSDRO) model to improve the flexibility of IES. First, the optimal time-varying Copula function is selected to describe the wind–solar joint uncertainties and to generate sample data, which are applied to construct ambiguity set based on the Wasserstein metric. Subsequently, the proposed model is developed by incorporating affinely adjustable policy and flexible resources management and is reformulated into a tractable model using duality theory and convex optimization techniques. The simulation results show: Compared to the traditional algorithm, the CTSDRO algorithm achieves a balance among economic performance, robustness, and computational efficiency. By incorporating flexible resources into the proposed model, the flexibility shortage is effectively mitigated and the upward flexibility increases by 22 % and the downward flexibility improves by 2.4 times under extreme operating conditions, without sacrificing economic performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125366"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scaling solar in dense cities: The availability and affordability of distributed photovoltaics (DSPV) electricity in Shenzhen","authors":"Kai Zhang ,&nbsp;Peifeng Ma ,&nbsp;Yuan Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125376","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125376","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The availability and affordability of renewable energy are crucial for energy transition. This study develops a geospatial–techno-economic framework to evaluate DSPV potential and costs across Shenzhen's scattered, irregular, and diverse (SID) spaces, focusing on rooftops, building façades, and road noise barriers. Leveraging building vectors with height attributes, a shadow analysis model and solar ray-tracing algorithms were employed to quantify the effects of mutual shading and surface inclination that significantly compromise the capacity factors of PV. High-resolution irradiation data, meteorological parameters, and an irradiation model were utilized. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is analyzed based on installation costs, operational expenses, and other market-driven parameters. The results reveal that rooftops, building facades, and RNBs' PV electricity generation potentials are 21,165 GWh/year, 85,131 GWh/year, and 5.43 GWh/year, respectively, almost equivalent to 94% of Shenzhen's annual electricity demand in 2023. Affordability is a much bigger concern with their LCOE ranges being 0.020–0.421 USD/kWh, 0.058–0.261 USD/kWh, and 0.090–1.404 USD/kWh under different scenarios, respectively. These findings illustrate that spatial constraints in dense cities not only affect the availability of solar electricity but also, more importantly, its affordability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125376"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wind tunnel investigation of heliostat field wind loads and load reduction measures","authors":"Zihang Yang ,&nbsp;Yangzhao Liu ,&nbsp;Ying Chang ,&nbsp;Kaoshan Dai ,&nbsp;Jie Zhong ,&nbsp;Erhan Huang ,&nbsp;Zhen Li ,&nbsp;Songgang Li ,&nbsp;Matiyas A. Bezabeh","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Most prior wind tunnel investigations of heliostats have focused on isolated units. However, in real-world engineering scenarios, heliostats are typically arranged in rows to maximize efficiency, and the aerodynamic properties of multiple heliostats differ substantially from those of an independent or single heliostat. In this study, wind loads in a heliostat field were evaluated using a new type of rectangular heliostat model at multiple locations within the field. On the basis of wind tunnel testing of the heliostat field, a commonly used operating elevation angle of 40° was selected as the most representative elevation angle, and the wind loads of heliostats at different positions in the heliostat field as well as load-mitigation strategies were investigated. The test results showed that the heliostat field could be qualitatively decomposed into two regions, namely an interior region and an edge region, and the worst-case-scenario forces and moments for each heliostat in the interior region were largely identical. On this basis, two wind load reduction measures were considered: optimizing array arrangement at a fixed field density and employing wind fences. The heliostat field exhibited a typical “edge high, internal low” trend in its wind load coefficients. At a given heliostat field density, variation of heliostat structure arrangements had a substantial impact on wind effects. Based on the results, the generalized blockage ratio formula proposed by Peterka et al. was improved, thereby allowing wind load reduction through variations in field arrangement at the same density. In addition, it was found that a wind fence reduces wind loads mainly for edge region heliostats, similarly to adding an upstream heliostat row.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125395"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Financial globalization and energy transition: Insights from 149 countries","authors":"Mingming Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengyao Cui ,&nbsp;Liyun Liu ,&nbsp;Dequn Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The energy transition is continuously accelerating worldwide. Financial globalization, related to financing source, investment risk and technology transfer, affects energy transition. This study examines the impact of financial globalization on energy transitions by considering financial globalization using overall, de facto, and de jure measures. A comprehensive energy transition index is constructed based on 3E (energy, environment, and economy) theory. Data from between 2000 and 2019 are collected from 149 countries. A quantile regression panel data model is used and compared with a fixed effects model. The results show that financial globalization has a negative effect on energy transition in medium-energy transition countries but has a positive effect in low- and high-energy transition countries. The impact of financial globalization on energy transition in Europe is higher than that on other continents. The role of financial globalization in Belt and Road countries is more obvious; the Paris Agreement has optimized the role of financial globalization. Financial globalization plays a positive role in countries with low renewable energy consumption and in regions with low degrees of capital formation. Relevant governments should promote financial globalization, optimize the allocation of financial resource, formulate differentiated transition policies and strengthen financial risk management to promote energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125418"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel grid-integration strategy for impulsive wave generation with electric-hydrogen system","authors":"Zhongnan Feng ,&nbsp;Xiangning Lin ,&nbsp;Fanrong Wei ,&nbsp;Quan Sui ,&nbsp;Hong Xiang ,&nbsp;Kun Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the inherent characteristics of wave resources, wave energy generation (WEG) exhibits impulsive characteristics that needs to be smoothed out before being utilized. The degradation loss of a single battery system to consume the impulsive power is significant. Considering the high energy density and storage portability of hydrogen, a hybrid system combining battery and flexible water electrolysis system is a promising choice for wave energy consumption. However, more diverse and complex consumption devices will introduce more operational conflicts and coordination challenges. Therefore, the paper firstly explores the dynamic characteristics of WEG, taking into account the comprehensive external environment and internal control factors. Then, the contradictory boundaries and collaborated domains between the characteristics of impulsive WEG and the consumption devices are clarified through theoretical analysis. Subsequently, a movable electric-hydrogen supplier (MEHS) powered by wave energy was proposed. Considering the requirements of internal multi-energy flow coupling and external multi-spatiotemporal interaction, a scheduling model is established to schedule energy capture, storage, and supply behavior of MEHS. The simulation results show that the proposed flexible scheduling framework can effectively match the dynamic characteristics of different devices, and maximize the utilization of wave energy resources for island microgrids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125385"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cascade hydropower retrofitting for pumped storage in high-penetration renewable energy systems: Techno-economic perspectives","authors":"Zhenni Wang ,&nbsp;Qiaofeng Tan ,&nbsp;Xin Wen ,&nbsp;Huaying Su ,&nbsp;Guohua Fang ,&nbsp;Hao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125386","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.renene.2026.125386","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Retrofitting hydropower plants with pumping stations (HPSH-P), reversible units (HPSH-PT), or new reservoirs (PSH) is critical for boosting grid flexibility and variable renewable energy (VRE) integration. However, comparative multi-scale operational characteristics and techno-economic trade-offs among these pathways remain underexplored. This study develops a scheduling model that captures multi-scale regulation for these retrofitting approaches, driven by a net-load-based time-of-use price curve. The performance of different pathways is further evaluated through techno-economic and sensitivity analyses, considering hydrological inflows, economic parameters, and round-trip efficiency. A Southwest China case study reveals that HPSH-P provides a cost-effective near-term solution for capital-constrained or low-capacity-factor plants. In contrast, HPSH-PT achieves a peak net present value of 7.0 billion CNY by effectively leveraging existing storage and expanded capacity at moderate investment. While PSH delivers superior technical performance, with an overall energy conversion efficiency of 79.8%, a VRE curtailment absorption rate of 9.9%, and an annual greenhouse gas reduction of 10.5 Mt CO₂-eq, substantial capital costs for new reservoirs raise its break-even threshold. Notably, all schemes at their optimal capacities exhibit competitive levelized cost of energy (LCOE) below 200 CNY/MWh. These findings provide a systematic framework for transforming conventional hydropower into flexible, low-carbon energy storage assets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":419,"journal":{"name":"Renewable Energy","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 125386"},"PeriodicalIF":9.1,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146186259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}