TY - JOUR
T1 - The future role of Power-to-Gas in the energy transition
T2 - Regional and local techno-economic analyses in Baden-Württemberg
AU - McKenna, R. C.
AU - Bchini, Q.
AU - Weinand, J. M.
AU - Michaelis, J.
AU - König, S.
AU - Köppel, W.
AU - Fichtner, W.
N1 - This research project was funded by the Baden-Württemberg Research Program Securing a Sustainable Living Environment (BWPLUS) of the Ministry for Environment, Climate and Energy Baden-Württemberg (BWP13021-13026). The authors gratefully acknowledge the groundwork of Dr. Tobias Heffels, Tobias Jäger, Lukas Kirchmann, Michael Bachseitz, Juri Lüth and Viktor Slednev. The usual disclaimer applies.
PY - 2018/2/15
Y1 - 2018/2/15
N2 - This paper analyses the potential of the Power-to-Gas (PtG) concept in Baden-Württemberg (BW), south west Germany. A macroeconomic analysis shows that a cost-covering operation of PtG for hydrogen production is first possible under our assumptions in 2030. Previous model-based analyses for Germany identified locations, mainly in north-west Germany, where these plants could achieve these full load hours and thus be economical in the future energy system by 2040. Importantly, although some short-term storage devices (batteries) are installed in BW in this scenario, no PtG plants are seen at the level of the transport network. A more detailed analysis for BW at the municipality level develops residual load profiles for individual 110 kV transformers and municipalities. A very large increase in the residual load profiles in the north-east of Baden-Württemberg by 2040 is encountered, suggesting a requirement for network strengthening and local storage, including PtG, in this area. Four very different and representative model regions are further analysed, whereby only Aalen, a region with large wind potentials in the north east of BW, is identified as having significant potentials for PtG by 2040 (between 69 and 155 MWel). The current restrictions for injecting hydrogen into the gas network (2–10% by volume) mean that these PtG plants would have to incorporate a methanation step in order to upgrade and feed in SNG. The generation of SNG on a local level is therefore expected to be an option by about 2040, if the development of renewable energy generation proceeds as quickly as expected in the current energy-political scenario explored here. The existing CO2 sources for methanation are not located in the vicinity of the expected PtG plants, so that a CO2 separation from the air and/or a liquefied transport could be most economical. Further work is required to consider the local energy infrastructure, especially electrical and gas distribution networks.
AB - This paper analyses the potential of the Power-to-Gas (PtG) concept in Baden-Württemberg (BW), south west Germany. A macroeconomic analysis shows that a cost-covering operation of PtG for hydrogen production is first possible under our assumptions in 2030. Previous model-based analyses for Germany identified locations, mainly in north-west Germany, where these plants could achieve these full load hours and thus be economical in the future energy system by 2040. Importantly, although some short-term storage devices (batteries) are installed in BW in this scenario, no PtG plants are seen at the level of the transport network. A more detailed analysis for BW at the municipality level develops residual load profiles for individual 110 kV transformers and municipalities. A very large increase in the residual load profiles in the north-east of Baden-Württemberg by 2040 is encountered, suggesting a requirement for network strengthening and local storage, including PtG, in this area. Four very different and representative model regions are further analysed, whereby only Aalen, a region with large wind potentials in the north east of BW, is identified as having significant potentials for PtG by 2040 (between 69 and 155 MWel). The current restrictions for injecting hydrogen into the gas network (2–10% by volume) mean that these PtG plants would have to incorporate a methanation step in order to upgrade and feed in SNG. The generation of SNG on a local level is therefore expected to be an option by about 2040, if the development of renewable energy generation proceeds as quickly as expected in the current energy-political scenario explored here. The existing CO2 sources for methanation are not located in the vicinity of the expected PtG plants, so that a CO2 separation from the air and/or a liquefied transport could be most economical. Further work is required to consider the local energy infrastructure, especially electrical and gas distribution networks.
KW - Electrolysis
KW - Energy system analysis
KW - Hydrogen
KW - Potential assessment
KW - Power-to-Gas
KW - Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG)
KW - Techno-economic analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038000881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.017
DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.12.017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85038000881
VL - 212
SP - 386
EP - 400
JO - Applied Energy
JF - Applied Energy
SN - 0306-2619
ER -
