Clean fuels synthesis from green hydrogen: a techno-economic comparative analysis

Abstract

In this paper, two different power-to-fuel solutions for sustainable fuel synthesis are investigated from the energetic, environmental, and economic standpoints. Both the solutions consider a pressurized PEM electrolysis section, fed by renewable sources, where high purity green Hydrogen is produced. Then, two separate processes are investigated for the synthesis of two distinct chemicals. In the first case, the hydrogen is mixed with CO2, sequestered by an industrial plant, and captured a carbon capture system (CCS): the two gases are sent to a pressurized reactor for methanol synthesis. In the second case, the hydrogen is mixed with N2, obtained from an industrial air separation unit (ASU), and sent to a reactor for ammonia synthesis. Both the synthesis processes are performed at high pressures and temperatures, thus a thermodynamic analysis is mandatory in order to calculate the overall efficiencies. In both cases, the power to fuel plants are investigated also in economic terms. Methanol synthesis presents a slightly higher efficiency compared to ammonia, while the two solutions are very similar from the economic standpoint. The sale of the co-produced oxygen allows for an improvement in economic terms for both cases and can be a key point in order to reach economic sustainability, together with the expected reduction in PEM electrolysers capital cost.