Foreword for the Special Section on Power System Planning and Operation Towards a Low-Carbon Economy

Increases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the major cause of climate change (global warming), which poses a huge threat to our society in the foreseeable future. Development of a low-carbon economy has become prevailing and essential. Many countries throughout the world have been making their economy more climate-friendly and less GHG emissions. The electric power system is a major source of carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions, mainly during the energy conversion process. De-carbonization of the power sector is critical and fundamental in confronting the challenges of climate change. There is a growing consensus that changes are needed in power system planning and operation to achieve a low-carbon economy. Park and Baldick have proposed a stochastic generation capacity planning model incorporating wind energy and simulate its impact on GHG emission reduction.