Statistical physics and resource investments in networks for the energy transition

The energy transition process is underway and will have a profound impact on the nature and structure of existing energy networks. This thesis takes the example of electricity networks to build a study paradigm, based on the statistical physics of networks, that enables past and future investments to be estimated in terms of energy and material costs. The first stage of this research was to use recent data to build an effective model of the current RTE transmission network and to analyze its topological characteristics with regard to transition scenarios. Based on this approach, this thesis work gave rise, on the one hand, to a model of the spatial growth of transmission networks giving perspectives on topology and resource expenditure and, on the other hand, to a model of the temporal dynamics of storage allowing flexibility between supply and demand, depending on the centrality of storage sites. To remedy the lack of data, a protocol for approximating the distribution network is proposed, making it possible to extend the previous analyses to the coupled transmission/distribution network.