Authors
Lozanovski, Aleksandar; Graf, Roberta; Held, Michael
Abstract
The energy transition needs to progress hand in hand with a transition of the mobility sector. One approach that offers CO2 reduction perspectives for both sectors as well as advantages through the possible gradual replacement of fossil solutions through renewable sources are Power-to-Gas-based technologies. To enable a large scale introduction of renewable methane, new and further developed processes and technologies are needed. This concerns the whole value chain, from production technologies to optimized engines e.g. for the mobility sector. To ensure a successful decarbonisation, accompanying environmental analysis are crucial in order to avoid misdevelopments and to identify optimal pathways. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a very suitable method to assess the corresponding enviromental impacts of technologies and to identify potential CO2 reduction ranges of the transition. For the analysis of the shift towards a renewable methane based system, the whole value chain needs to be considered and relevant Hot-Spots have to be identified. Different sizes of Power-to-Gas facilities from 1 to 100 MW and for different years (2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050) are evaluated. Next to this the gradual change of the energy grid mix over the years is part of the evaluation. The use of the renewable methane is shown by a well-to-wheel analysis of the German vehicle fleet including an agent based modelling of the gradual exchange of powertrains over the years. The use of methane from renewable energies is therefore investigated from various perspectives allowing a clear picture of the possible contribution to decarbonize mobility. The presentation will allow an overview of the conducted LCA work and will zoom into the details of some of the most crucial aspects. The presented work is part of the research project MethQuest, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.