The Technical and Economic Aspects of Integrating Energy Sectors for Climate Neutrality

Dorel Stoica (), Lucian Mihăescu, Gheorghe Lăzăroiu and George Cristian Lăzăroiu
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Dorel Stoica: Department of Mechanics “Radu P. Voinea”, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Lucian Mihăescu: Department of Technical Thermodynamics, Engines, Thermal and Refrigeration Equipment, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Gheorghe Lăzăroiu: Department of Energy Generation and Use, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
George Cristian Lăzăroiu: Electrical Systems Department, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-21

Abstract: With the development of an energy sector based on renewable primary sources, structural changes are emerging for the entire national energy system. Initially, it was estimated that energy generation based on fossil fuels would decrease until its disappearance. However, the evolution of C O 2 capture capacity leads to a possible coexistence for a certain period with the renewable energy sector. The paper develops this concept of the coexistence of the two systems, with the positioning of green hydrogen not only within the renewable energy sector but also as a transformation vector for carbon dioxide captured in the form of synthetic fuels, such as C H 4 and C H 3 O H . The authors conducted pilot-scale research on C O 2 capture with green H 2 , both for pure (captured) C O 2 and for C O 2 found in combustion gases. The positive results led to the respective recommendation. The research conducted by the authors meets the strict requirements of the current energy phase, with the authors considering that wind and solar energy alone are not sufficient to meet current energy demand. The paper also analyzes the economic aspects related to price differences for energy produced in the two sectors, as well as their interconnection. The technical aspect, as well as the economic aspect, of storage through various other solutions besides hydrogen has been highlighted. The development of the renewable energy sector and its demarcation from the fossil fuel energy sector, even with the transcendent vector represented by green hydrogen, leads to the deepening of dispersion aspects between the electricity sector and the thermal energy sector, a less commonly mentioned aspect in current works, but of great importance. The purpose of this paper is to highlight energy challenges during the current transition period towards climate neutrality, along with solutions proposed by the authors to be implemented in this phase. The current stage of combustion of the C H 4 − H 2 mixture imposes requirements for the capture of the resulting C O 2 .

Keywords: climate neutrality; green hydrogen; energy storage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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