IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v192y2020ics0360544219322066.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Prospects of electrofuels to defossilize transportation in Denmark – A techno-economic and ecological analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Albrecht, Friedemann Georg
  • Nguyen, Tuong-Van

Abstract

Achieving the global and European climate targets requires a green transformation of the transport sector. Electrification may become a viable option in light road transportation, but the use of liquid fuels with high energy density will likely prevail in aviation, shipping and heavy-duty mobility. For these applications, electrofuels, produced from electricity and CO2, may be a promising option, especially in countries with high wind and solar energy potentials. In the present case study, the prospects of electrofuels in Denmark are investigated. At first, an in-depth analysis of the available raw material and energy resources was conducted. The design of a first Power-to-Liquid (PtL) plant was then developed and implemented in Aspen Plus® for a selected site in Denmark. The plant is subsequently analyzed in a techno-economic and ecological assessment. The results indicate that the unexploited Danish wind power potential is theoretically sufficient to entirely cover the expected future demand for alternative fuels through electrofuel production. Greenhouse gas reductions of 95% compared to fossil fuels can be achieved if electricity from renewable power sources is used. However, fuel production costs are significantly higher than crude oil market prices, resulting in very high GHG abatement costs compared to other carbon mitigation technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Albrecht, Friedemann Georg & Nguyen, Tuong-Van, 2020. "Prospects of electrofuels to defossilize transportation in Denmark – A techno-economic and ecological analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219322066
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116511
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544219322066
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116511?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stempien, Jan Pawel & Ni, Meng & Sun, Qiang & Chan, Siew Hwa, 2015. "Thermodynamic analysis of combined Solid Oxide Electrolyzer and Fischer–Tropsch processes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 682-690.
    2. Reuß, M. & Grube, T. & Robinius, M. & Preuster, P. & Wasserscheid, P. & Stolten, D., 2017. "Seasonal storage and alternative carriers: A flexible hydrogen supply chain model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 290-302.
    3. Koponen, Kati & Hannula, Ilkka, 2017. "GHG emission balances and prospects of hydrogen enhanced synthetic biofuels from solid biomass in the European context," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 106-118.
    4. Becker, W.L. & Braun, R.J. & Penev, M. & Melaina, M., 2012. "Production of Fischer–Tropsch liquid fuels from high temperature solid oxide co-electrolysis units," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 99-115.
    5. Götz, Manuel & Lefebvre, Jonathan & Mörs, Friedemann & McDaniel Koch, Amy & Graf, Frank & Bajohr, Siegfried & Reimert, Rainer & Kolb, Thomas, 2016. "Renewable Power-to-Gas: A technological and economic review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 1371-1390.
    6. El-Emam, Rami Salah & Dincer, Ibrahim, 2014. "Thermodynamic and thermoeconomic analyses of seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant with energy recovery," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 154-163.
    7. Tomaschek, Jan, 2015. "Marginal abatement cost curves for policy recommendation – A method for energy system analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 376-385.
    8. Cinti, Giovanni & Baldinelli, Arianna & Di Michele, Alessandro & Desideri, Umberto, 2016. "Integration of Solid Oxide Electrolyzer and Fischer-Tropsch: A sustainable pathway for synthetic fuel," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 308-320.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bellocchi, Sara & Colbertaldo, Paolo & Manno, Michele & Nastasi, Benedetto, 2023. "Assessing the effectiveness of hydrogen pathways: A techno-economic optimisation within an integrated energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    2. Wolff, Michael & Becker, Tristan & Walther, Grit, 2023. "Long-term design and analysis of renewable fuel supply chains – An integrated approach considering seasonal resource availability," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 304(2), pages 745-762.
    3. Alcázar-García, Désirée & Romeral Martínez, José Luis, 2022. "Model-based design validation and optimization of drive systems in electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).
    4. Korberg, A.D. & Brynolf, S. & Grahn, M. & Skov, I.R., 2021. "Techno-economic assessment of advanced fuels and propulsion systems in future fossil-free ships," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    5. Farajiamiri, Mina & Meyer, Jörn-Christian & Walther, Grit, 2023. "Multi-objective optimization of renewable fuel supply chains regarding cost, land use, and water use," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Herz, Gregor & Rix, Christopher & Jacobasch, Eric & Müller, Nils & Reichelt, Erik & Jahn, Matthias & Michaelis, Alexander, 2021. "Economic assessment of Power-to-Liquid processes – Influence of electrolysis technology and operating conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    2. Chen, Bin & Xu, Haoran & Ni, Meng, 2017. "Modelling of SOEC-FT reactor: Pressure effects on methanation process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 814-824.
    3. Brynolf, Selma & Taljegard, Maria & Grahn, Maria & Hansson, Julia, 2018. "Electrofuels for the transport sector: A review of production costs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 1887-1905.
    4. Reznicek, Evan P. & Braun, Robert J., 2020. "Reversible solid oxide cell systems for integration with natural gas pipeline and carbon capture infrastructure for grid energy management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    5. Runge, Philipp & Sölch, Christian & Albert, Jakob & Wasserscheid, Peter & Zöttl, Gregor & Grimm, Veronika, 2019. "Economic comparison of different electric fuels for energy scenarios in 2035," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 1078-1093.
    6. Decker, Maximilian & Schorn, Felix & Samsun, Remzi Can & Peters, Ralf & Stolten, Detlef, 2019. "Off-grid power-to-fuel systems for a market launch scenario – A techno-economic assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 1099-1109.
    7. Mehran, Muhammad Taqi & Yu, Seong-Bin & Lee, Dong-Young & Hong, Jong-Eun & Lee, Seung-Bok & Park, Seok-Joo & Song, Rak-Hyun & Lim, Tak-Hyoung, 2018. "Production of syngas from H2O/CO2 by high-pressure coelectrolysis in tubular solid oxide cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 759-770.
    8. Herz, Gregor & Reichelt, Erik & Jahn, Matthias, 2018. "Techno-economic analysis of a co-electrolysis-based synthesis process for the production of hydrocarbons," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 309-320.
    9. Qi, Huiying & Zhang, Junfeng & Tu, Baofeng & Yin, Yanxia & Zhang, Tonghuan & Liu, Di & Zhang, Fujun & Su, Xin & Cui, Daan & Cheng, Mojie, 2022. "Extreme management strategy and thermodynamic analysis of high temperature H2O/CO2 co-electrolysis for energy conversion," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 229-241.
    10. Kolb, Sebastian & Plankenbühler, Thomas & Frank, Jonas & Dettelbacher, Johannes & Ludwig, Ralf & Karl, Jürgen & Dillig, Marius, 2021. "Scenarios for the integration of renewable gases into the German natural gas market – A simulation-based optimisation approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    11. Stefan Arens & Sunke Schlüters & Benedikt Hanke & Karsten von Maydell & Carsten Agert, 2020. "Sustainable Residential Energy Supply: A Literature Review-Based Morphological Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-28, January.
    12. Yunesky Masip Macía & Pablo Rodríguez Machuca & Angel Alexander Rodríguez Soto & Roberto Carmona Campos, 2021. "Green Hydrogen Value Chain in the Sustainability for Port Operations: Case Study in the Region of Valparaiso, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
    13. Cantú, Victor H. & Ponsich, Antonin & Azzaro-Pantel, Catherine & Carrera, Eduardo, 2023. "Capturing spatial, time-wise and technological detail in hydrogen supply chains: A bi-level multi-objective optimization approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    14. Pantò, Fabiola & Siracusano, Stefania & Briguglio, Nicola & Aricò, Antonino Salvatore, 2020. "Durability of a recombination catalyst-based membrane-electrode assembly for electrolysis operation at high current density," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    15. Azadeh Maroufmashat & Michael Fowler, 2017. "Transition of Future Energy System Infrastructure; through Power-to-Gas Pathways," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-22, July.
    16. Quarton, Christopher J. & Samsatli, Sheila, 2020. "The value of hydrogen and carbon capture, storage and utilisation in decarbonising energy: Insights from integrated value chain optimisation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    17. Marchese, Marco & Chesta, Simone & Santarelli, Massimo & Lanzini, Andrea, 2021. "Techno-economic feasibility of a biomass-to-X plant: Fischer-Tropsch wax synthesis from digestate gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    18. Ali, Shahid & Sørensen, Kim & Nielsen, Mads P., 2020. "Modeling a novel combined solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) - Biomass gasification renewable methanol production system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1025-1034.
    19. Mahrokh Samavati & Andrew Martin & Massimo Santarelli & Vera Nemanova, 2018. "Synthetic Diesel Production as a Form of Renewable Energy Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-21, May.
    20. Lux, Benjamin & Pfluger, Benjamin, 2020. "A supply curve of electricity-based hydrogen in a decarbonized European energy system in 2050," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219322066. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.