The North American Renewable Integration Study (NARIS) assesses opportunities to modernize and decarbonize the North American power system through the integrated planning and operation of generation and transmission infrastructures to meet end-use demand.

On June 24, 2021, the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) announced the release of the US Perspective Report and the Canadian Perspective Report as part of the latest NARIS study.

In the study's summary, the DOE and NRCan state:

"The North American electric power system is undergoing significant change, with renewable resources now contributing more generation than ever before. This transformation is poised to continue given decreasing technology costs and ambitious decarbonization goals at the federal, state, local, corporate, and consumer levels. The North American Renewable Integration Study (NARIS) aims to inform grid planners, utilities, industry, policymakers, and other stakeholders about challenges and opportunities for continental system integration of large amounts of wind, solar, and hydropower to support a low-carbon future grid."

Key highlights of the latest NARIS study include:

  • There are multiple combinations of electricity generation, transmission and demand that can result in 80-percent carbon reduction by 2050.
  • The future low-carbon system can balance supply and demand across a wide range of future conditions, with all generation and storage technologies contributing to resource adequacy.
  • Operational flexibility comes from transmission, electricity storage and flexible operation of all generator types, including hydropower, wind, solar and thermal generation.
  • While carbon targets can be achieved with conservative assumptions about the cost of wind and solar, steeper cost reduction of these technologies can lead to a faster and less costly transition to a low-carbon electricity grid.
  • Regional and international cooperation on electricity transmission, as envisioned by the study, can provide significant net system economic benefits through 2050.

Launched in 2016, NARIS evaluates four scenarios for North American power systems through 2050, focusing on the effects of various renewable technology cost trajectories, emission constraints, demand growth and outcomes.

The four scenarios are shown in the table below from the summary:

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The installed generation in each of the core scenarios is shown in the following table from the summary:

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