Τechno-economic assessment of industrially-captured CO2 upgrade to synthetic natural gas by means of renewable hydrogen

Dimitris Ipsakis, Georgios Varvoutis, Athanasios Lampropoulos, Spiros Papaefthimiou, George E. Marnellos and Michalis Konsolakis

Renewable Energy, 2021, vol. 179, issue C, 1884-1896

Abstract: The present work assesses the feasibility of a circular approach towards a carbon-neutral process that leads to the production of 500 ktn/yr of synthetic natural gas (SNG). Overall, three main systems were sized, simulated and heat/energy coupled under a realistic scenario that ensures an autonomous and economically feasible operation: a) cement-based CO2 capture with amines, b) H2 production through combined solar/wind powered water electrolysis and c) CO2 catalytic hydrogenation. The economic analysis revealed a min-to-max break-even price of 500–1550 €/tn of SNG, taking also into account the potential sales of the high-purity O2 (from water electrolysis) and the excess electricity produced via renewable energy sources (RES). The ranges for the SNG prices correspond to the screening of CO2 penalty fees (25–100 €/tn) along with the option to subsidy the RES-H2 system up to 36 %. Two further critical issues were also revealed: a highly feasible operating circular scheme is achieved only when SNG is recycled to the cement industry (to satisfy heat/energy requirements), whereas RES-powered H2 is more competitive than electricity grid, as long as electricity prices are higher than 0.02 €/kWh. The proposed process proves that a combination of novel technologies and renewables can lead in a circular approach towards added-value products.

Keywords: CO2 capture and utilization; Circular economy approach; RES powered electrolytic hydrogen; CO2 hydrogenation for synthetic natural gas production; Feasibility assessment; Cement plant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:179:y:2021:i:c:p:1884-1896

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2021.07.109

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