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Flexible power and hydrogen production: Finding synergy between CCS and variable renewables

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  • Cloete, Schalk
  • Hirth, Lion

Abstract

The expansion of wind and solar power is creating a growing need for power system flexibility. Dispatchable power plants with CO2 capture and storage (CCS) offer flexibility with low CO2 emissions, but these plants become uneconomical at the low running hours implied by renewables-based power systems. To address this challenge, the novel gas switching reforming (GSR) plant was recently proposed. GSR can alternate between electricity and hydrogen production from natural gas, offering flexibility to the power system without reducing the utilization rate of the capital stock embodied in CCS infrastructure. This study assesses the interplay between GSR and variable renewables using a power system model, which optimizes investment and hourly dispatch of 13 different technologies. Results show that GSR brings substantial benefits relative to conventional CCS. At a CO2 price of €100/ton, inclusion of GSR increases the optimal wind and solar share by 50%, lowers total system costs by 8%, and reduces system emissions from 45 to 4 kgCO2/MWh. In addition, GSR produces clean hydrogen equivalent to about 90% of total electricity demand, which can be used to decarbonize transport and industry. GSR could therefore become a key enabling technology for a decarbonization effort led by wind and solar power.

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  • Cloete, Schalk & Hirth, Lion, 2020. "Flexible power and hydrogen production: Finding synergy between CCS and variable renewables," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:192:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219323667
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116671
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    Cited by:

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    2. Alina Ilinova & Natalia Romasheva & Alexey Cherepovitsyn, 2021. "CC(U)S Initiatives: Public Effects and “Combined Value” Performance," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Patel, Ismail & Shah, Adil & Shen, Boyang & Wei, Haigening & Hao, Luning & Hu, Jintao & Wang, Qi & Coombs, Tim, 2023. "Stochastic optimisation and economic analysis of combined high temperature superconducting magnet and hydrogen energy storage system for smart grid applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    4. Cloete, Schalk & Arnaiz del Pozo, Carlos & Jiménez Álvaro, Ángel, 2022. "System-friendly process design: Optimizing blue hydrogen production for future energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    5. Yifan Wang & Laurence A. Wright, 2021. "A Comparative Review of Alternative Fuels for the Maritime Sector: Economic, Technology, and Policy Challenges for Clean Energy Implementation," World, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-26, October.
    6. Radosław Kaplan & Michał Kopacz, 2020. "Economic Conditions for Developing Hydrogen Production Based on Coal Gasification with Carbon Capture and Storage in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    7. Szabolcs Szima & Carlos Arnaiz del Pozo & Schalk Cloete & Szabolcs Fogarasi & Ángel Jiménez Álvaro & Ana-Maria Cormos & Calin-Cristian Cormos & Shahriar Amini, 2021. "Techno-Economic Assessment of IGCC Power Plants Using Gas Switching Technology to Minimize the Energy Penalty of CO 2 Capture," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-24, August.
    8. Guo, Zhongjie & Wei, Wei & Chen, Laijun & Zhang, Xiaoping & Mei, Shengwei, 2021. "Equilibrium model of a regional hydrogen market with renewable energy based suppliers and transportation costs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    9. Ziółkowski, Paweł & Badur, Janusz & Pawlak- Kruczek, Halina & Stasiak, Kamil & Amiri, Milad & Niedzwiecki, Lukasz & Krochmalny, Krystian & Mularski, Jakub & Madejski, Paweł & Mikielewicz, Dariusz, 2022. "Mathematical modelling of gasification process of sewage sludge in reactor of negative CO2 emission power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).

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