TY - JOUR A1 - Heberl, Michael A1 - Withelm, Christian A1 - Kaul, Anja A1 - Rank, Daniel A1 - Sterner, Michael T1 - Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Biological Methanation in a Trickle-Bed Pilot Plant and a Potential Scale-Up JF - Energies N2 - The fluctuating nature of renewable energies results in the need for sustainable storage technologies to defossilize the energy system without other negative consequences for humans and the environment. In this study, a pilot-scale trickle-bed reactor for biological methanation and various scale-up scenarios for 2024 and 2050 were investigated using life cycle assessment. A best- and worst-case scenario for technology development until 2050 was evolved using cross-consistency analysis and a morphological field, based on which the data for the ecological models were determined. The results show that the plant scale-up has a very positive effect on the ecological consequences of methanation. In the best-case scenario, the values are a factor of 23–780 lower than those of the actual plant today. A hot-spot analysis showed that electrolysis operation has an especially large impact on total emissions. The final Monte Carlo simulation shows that the technology is likely to achieve a low global warming potential with a median of 104.0 kg CO2-eq/MWh CH4 and thus can contribute to decarbonization. KW - Ökobilanzierung KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Elektrolyse KW - Methanisierung KW - erneuerbare Energien Y1 - 2024 U6 - https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092206 SN - 1996-1073 VL - 17 IS - 9 PB - MDPI AG CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thema, Martin A1 - Sterner, Michael A1 - Lenck, Thorsten A1 - Götz, Philipp T1 - Necessity and Impact of Power-to-gas on Energy Transition in Germany JF - Energy Procedia N2 - The present paper gives an outlook on a bandwidth of required installed power-to-gas capacity in the German power sector fed by 100% renewable generation until 2050. Two scenarios were simulated to quantify cost effects of power-to-gas on the electricity system: once with, once without additional short-term flexibility options to a system using fossil natural gas as sole flexibility option instead. As a result, at latest in 2035, power-to-gas capacity expansion has to take place to reach required installed capacities of up to 89-134 GW in 2050. Application of power-to-gas as long-term flexibility leads to cost savings of up to 11,7-19 bn Euro enabling a fully renewable system in 2050. KW - decarbonization KW - energy storage KW - energy transition KW - Power-to-Gas KW - renewable energy KW - supply security KW - surplus energy KW - system costs Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2016.10.129 VL - 99 SP - 392 EP - 400 PB - Elsevier ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thema, Martin A1 - Bauer, Franz A1 - Sterner, Michael T1 - Power-to-Gas: Electrolysis and methanation status review JF - Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews N2 - This review gives a worldwide overview on Power-to-Gas projects producing hydrogen or renewable substitute natural gas focusing projects in central Europe. It deepens and completes the content of previous reviews by including hitherto unreviewed projects and by combining project names with details such as plant location. It is based on data from 153 completed, recent and planned projects since 1988 which were evaluated with regards to plant allocation, installed power development, plant size, shares and amounts of hydrogen or substitute natural gas producing examinations and product utilization phases. Cost development for electrolysis and carbon dioxide methanation was analyzed and a projection until 2030 is given with an outlook to 2050. The results show substantial cost reductions for electrolysis as well as for methanation during the recent years and a further price decline to less than 500 euro per kilowatt electric power input for both technologies until 2050 is estimated if cost projection follows the current trend. Most of the projects examined are located in Germany, Denmark, the United States of America and Canada. Following an exponential global trend to increase installed power, today's Power-to-Gas applications are operated at about 39 megawatt. Hydrogen and substitute natural gas were investigated on equal terms concerning the number of projects. KW - Biological CO2-Methanation KW - Chemical CO2-Methanation KW - Cost-development KW - Electrolysis KW - Power-to-Gas Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-26238 N1 - Corresponding author: Martin Thema VL - 112 IS - 7 SP - 775 EP - 787 PB - Elsevier ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sterner, Michael A1 - Specht, Michael T1 - Power-to-Gas and Power-to-X-The History and Results of Developing a New Storage Concept JF - Energies N2 - Germany's energy transition, known as 'Energiewende', was always very progressive. However, it came technically to a halt at the question of large-scale, seasonal energy storage for wind and solar, which was not available. At the end of the 2000s, we combined our knowledge of both electrical and process engineering, imitated nature by copying photosynthesis and developed Power-to-Gas by combining water electrolysis with CO2-methanation to convert water and CO2 together with wind and solar power to synthetic natural gas. Storing green energy by coupling the electricity with the gas sector using its vast TWh-scale storage facility was the solution for the biggest energy problem of our time. This was the first concept that created the term 'sector coupling' or 'sectoral integration'. We first implemented demo sites, presented our work in research, industry and ministries, and applied it in many macroeconomic studies. It was an initial idea that inspired others to rethink electricity as well as eFuels as an energy source and energy carrier. We developed the concept further to include Power-to-Liquid, Power-to-Chemicals and other ways to 'convert' electricity into molecules and climate-neutral feedstocks, and named it 'Power-to-X'at the beginning of the 2010s. KW - 100% renewable energy scenarios KW - CARBON RECYCLING SYSTEM KW - CO2 KW - eFuels KW - electric fuels KW - energy transition KW - hydrogen KW - methanation KW - METHANOL KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Power-to-Hydrogen KW - Power-to-Methane KW - Power-to-X KW - sector coupling KW - sectoral integration KW - TRANSPORTATION Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-26202 N1 - Corresponding author: Michael Sterner VL - 14 IS - 20 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thema, Martin A1 - Weidlich, Tobias A1 - Hörl, Manuel A1 - Bellack, Annett A1 - Mörs, Friedemann A1 - Hackl, Florian A1 - Kohlmayer, Matthias A1 - Gleich, Jasmin A1 - Stabenau, Carsten A1 - Trabold, Thomas A1 - Neubert, Michael A1 - Ortloff, Felix A1 - Brotsack, Raimund A1 - Schmack, Doris A1 - Huber, Harald A1 - Hafenbradl, Doris A1 - Karl, Jürgen A1 - Sterner, Michael T1 - Biological CO2-Methanation: An Approach to Standardization JF - Energies N2 - Power-to-Methane as one part of Power-to-Gas has been recognized globally as one of the key elements for the transition towards a sustainable energy system. While plants that produce methane catalytically have been in operation for a long time, biological methanation has just reached industrial pilot scale and near-term commercial application. The growing importance of the biological method is reflected by an increasing number of scientific articles describing novel approaches to improve this technology. However, these studies are difficult to compare because they lack a coherent nomenclature. In this article, we present a comprehensive set of parameters allowing the characterization and comparison of various biological methanation processes. To identify relevant parameters needed for a proper description of this technology, we summarized existing literature and defined system boundaries for Power-to-Methane process steps. On this basis, we derive system parameters providing information on the methanation system, its performance, the biology and cost aspects. As a result, three different standards are provided as a blueprint matrix for use in academia and industry applicable to both, biological and catalytic methanation. Hence, this review attempts to set the standards for a comprehensive description of biological and chemical methanation processes. KW - Biological methanation KW - bubble column reactor KW - CO2-methanation KW - CSTR KW - membrane reactor KW - methanation KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Power-to-Methane KW - standardization KW - Trickle-bed reactor Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/en12091670 N1 - Corresponding author: Martin Thema VL - 12 IS - 9 SP - 1 EP - 32 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gärtner, Sebastian A1 - Rank, Daniel A1 - Heberl, Michael A1 - Gaderer, Matthias A1 - Dawoud, Belal A1 - Haumer, Anton A1 - Sterner, Michael T1 - Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis of a Power-to-Hydrogen Process for Oxyfuel Glass Melting JF - Energies N2 - As an energy-intensive industry sector, the glass industry is strongly affected by the increasingly stringent climate protection targets. As established combustion-based production systems ensure high process stability and glass quality, an immediate switch to low greenhouse gas emission processes is difficult. To approach these challenges, this work investigates a step-by-step integration of a Power-to-Hydrogen concept into established oxyfuel glass melting processes using a simulation approach. This is complemented by a case study for economic analysis on a selected German glass industry site by simulating the power production of a nearby renewable energy park and subsequent optimization of the power-to-hydrogen plant performance and capacities. The results of this study indicate, that the proposed system can reduce specific carbon dioxide emissions by up to 60%, while increasing specific energy demand by a maximum of 25%. Investigations of the impact of altered combustion and furnace properties like adiabatic flame temperature (+25 °C), temperature efficiency (∆ξ = −0.003) and heat capacity flow ratio (∆zHL = −0.009) indicate that pure hydrogen-oxygen combustion has less impact on melting properties than assumed so far. Within the case study, high CO2 abatement costs of 295 €/t CO2-eq. were determined. This is mainly due to the insufficient performance of renewable energy sources. The correlations between process scaling and economic parameters presented in this study show promising potential for further economic optimization of the proposed energy system in the future. KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Hydrogen KW - Electrolysis KW - Oxyfuel KW - Glass Industry Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-22713 N1 - Corresponding author: Sebastian Gärtner VL - 14 IS - 24 PB - MDPI ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thema, Martin A1 - Weidlich, Tobias A1 - Kaul, Anja A1 - Böllmann, Andrea A1 - Huber, Harald A1 - Bellack, Annett A1 - Karl, Jürgen A1 - Sterner, Michael T1 - Optimized biological CO2-methanation with a pure culture of thermophilic methanogenic archaea in a trickle-bed reactor JF - Bioresource Technology N2 - In this study, a fully automated process converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide to methane in a high temperature trickle-bed reactor was developed from lab scale to field test level. The reactor design and system performance was optimized to yield high methane content in the product gas for direct feed-in to the gas grid. The reaction was catalyzed by a pure culture of Methanothermobacter thermoautotrophicus IM5, which formed a biofilm on ceramic packing elements. During 600 h in continuous and semi-continuous operation in countercurrent flow, the 0.05 m3 reactor produced up to 95.3 % of methane at a methane production rate of 0.35 mCH43mR-3h-1. Adding nitrogen as carrier gas during startup, foam control and dosing of ammonium and sodium sulfide as nitrogen and sulfur source were important factors for process automation. KW - Biological methanation KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Reactor concept KW - Thermophilic archaea KW - Trickle-bed reactor Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125135 IS - 333 PB - Elsevier ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sterner, Michael A1 - Bauer, Franz T1 - Power-to-X im Kontext der Energiewende und des Klimaschutzes in Deutschland JF - Chemie-Ingenieur-Technik N2 - Um den Einfluss verschiedener Power-to-X-Verfahren auf die Transformation des deutschen Energiesystems und das Erreichen der Klimaschutzziele zu überprüfen, wurde ein sektorübergreifendes Energiesystemmodel entwickelt. Die daraus gewonnenen Ergebnisse zeigen: Für eine erfolgreiche Energiewende ist der Einsatz von Power-to-X in Zukunft unverzichtbar. Vor allem in Bereichen und Sektoren, in denen hohe Energiedichten erforderlich und nur wenig andere Optionen zur Defossilisierung vorhanden sind, werden Power-to-X-Technologien zwingend notwendig. T2 - Power-to-X in Context of Energy Transition and Climate Change Mitigation in Germany KW - Power-to-Gas KW - Climate mitigation KW - Energy system KW - Modeling KW - Power-to-X KW - Klimaschutz KW - Energiewende Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:898-opus4-11669 SN - 0009-286X N1 - Corresponding author: Franz Bauer VL - 92 IS - 1-2 SP - 85 EP - 90 PB - Wiley ER -