CO2 emissions of constructing China’s power grid towards carbon-neutral target: Based on top-down and bottom-up integrated model

Abstract China is faced with huge pressure for achieving carbon-neutral target. Power sector is the largest industrial emitter in China, and renewable energy development would contribute to the large-scale construction of power grid. This study, based on top-down and bottom-up integrated models, aims to investigate carbon emissions of power grid construction, through identifying the key driving factors and forecasting their embodied emissions under the carbon neutrality target. Our results showed that, the increase of GDP dominated the increase in embodied carbon emissions of power grid construction, while energy efficiency and energy structure improvement contributed to the decrease. Large scale renewable energy development promotes the power grid construction. In 2060, total embodied carbon emissions would increase to 1105.7 Mt under the carbon neutrality target. However, the cost and key carbon-neutral technologies should be re-considered to ensure the sustainable electricity supply.