Renewable Syngas Generation via Low-Temperature Electrolysis: Opportunities and Challenges
Source abstract
Abstract
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The production of syngas (i.e., a mixture of CO and H 2 ) via the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 and water can contribute to the green transition of various industrial sectors. Here we provide a joint academic–industrial perspective on the key technical and economical differences of the concurrent (i.e., CO and H 2 are generated in the same electrolyzer cell) and separated (i.e., CO and H 2 are electrogenerated in different electrolyzers) production of syngas. Using a combination of literature analysis, experimental data, and techno-economic analysis, we demonstrate that the production of synthesis gas is notably less expensive if we operate a CO 2 electrolyzer in a CO-selective mode and combine it with a separate PEM electrolyzer for H 2 generation. We also conclude that by the further decrease of the cost of renewable electricity and the increase of CO 2 emission taxes, such prepared renewable syngas will become cost competitive.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts · Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies · Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Air Liquide Forschung & Entwicklung GmbH, Innovation Campus Frankfurt, Gwinnerstraße 27−33, 60388 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
eChemicles Zrt, Alsó Kikötő sor 11, Szeged H-6726, Hungary
Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Szeged, Rerrich Square 1, Szeged H-6720, Hungary
Funding
HORIZON EUROPE European Innovation Council · National Research, Development and Innovation Office
References (73)
Show source-provided references
1. 10.1016/j.jaecs.2022.10006410.1016/j.jaecs.2022.100064 ↗
2. 10.1073/pnas.212117411910.1073/pnas.2121174119 ↗
3. 10.1016/S0378-3820(01)00140-010.1016/S0378-3820(01)00140-0 ↗
4. Bertau, M.; Offermanns, H.; Plass, L.; Schmidt, F.; Wernickez, H.J. Methanol: The Basic Chemical and Energy Feedstock of the Future; Springer: Heidelberg, 2014.10.1007/978-3-642-39709-7 ↗
5. de Klerk, A. Fischer–Tropsch Refining; Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 2011.10.1002/9783527635603 ↗
6. 10.1039/C7GC00398F10.1039/C7GC00398F ↗
7. Syngas Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2023–2028; Report 2022, https://www.imarcgroup.com/syngas-market (accessed 2023-08-18).
8. Syngas Market by Gasifier (Moving Bed Gasifier, Fluidized Bed Gasifier, Entrained Flow Gasifier, and Others), Technology (Steam Reforming, Partial Oxidation, Auto-Thermal Reforming, Combined or Two-Step Reforming, and Biomass Gasification), Feedstock (Natural Gas, Coal, Biomass/Waste, and Others), Application (Power Generation, Chemicals, and Others), and Regional Analysis (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020–2027; Report 2021, https://www.researchdive.com/8407/syngas-market (accessed 2023-08-18).
9. Syngas Market Size, Share, Trends, By Production Technology (Steam Reforming, Partial Oxidation, Auto-Thermal Reforming, Two-Step Reforming, and Biomass Gasification), Gasifier Type, Feedstock, Application, and By Region Forecast to 2030; Report 2022, https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/syngas-market (accessed 2023-08-18).
10. Farkas-Csamangó, E.; Gyenes, P.; Janáky, C.; Kádár, K.; Lukovics, M.; Sziebig, O. J.; Törőcsikné Görög, M. Carbon Capture and Storage/Carbon Capture and Utilization 2023. https://greennovation.hu/feherkonyv.pdf (accessed 2023-09-18).
11. United Nations. Population. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population (accessed 2023-08-09).
12. Chris Barrington. The Iron Ore Challenge for Direct Reduction On Road to Carbon-Neutral Steelmaking. https://www.midrex.com/tech-article/the-iron-ore-challenge-for-direct-reduction-on-road-to-carbon-neutral-steelmaking/ (accessed 2023-12-08).
13. Wood Mackenzie. Power facilities to potentially use 100 Mt of low-carbon ammonia as feedstock by 2050. https://www.woodmac.com/press-releases/power-facilities-to-potentially-use-100-mt-of-low-carbon-ammonia-as-feedstock-by-2050/ (accessed 2023-12-18).
14. Sick, V.; Stokes, G.; Mason, F.; Yu, Y.S.; Van Berkel, A.; Daliah, R.; Gamez, O.; Gee, C.; Kaushik, M. Implementing CO2 Capture and Utilization at Scale and Speed; Report 2022, https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/174094 (accessed 2023-12-08).
15. 10.3390/en1302042010.3390/en13020420 ↗
16. 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c0539010.1021/acssuschemeng.2c05390 ↗
17. 10.1002/anie.20160755210.1002/anie.201607552 ↗
18. Air Liquide Normand’Hy. Air Liquide receives support from French State to its 200 MW electrolyzer project in Normandy and accelerates the development of the hydrogen sector in Europe. https://normandhy.airliquide.com/en (accessed 2023-08-09).
19. 10.1088/2515-7655/ac782310.1088/2515-7655/ac7823 ↗
20. 10.1038/s41893-021-00739-x10.1038/s41893-021-00739-x ↗
21. 10.1126/science.aav350610.1126/science.aav3506 ↗
22. 10.1021/acsenergylett.2c0092310.1021/acsenergylett.2c00923 ↗
23. 10.1021/acs.iecr.7b0351410.1021/acs.iecr.7b03514 ↗
24. 10.1002/cctc.20220098110.1002/cctc.202200981 ↗
25. 10.1039/D0GC02831B10.1039/D0GC02831B ↗
26. 10.1016/j.isci.2021.10281310.1016/j.isci.2021.102813 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.xcrp.2020.10023710.1016/j.xcrp.2020.100237 ↗
28. 10.1021/acsenergylett.3c0088510.1021/acsenergylett.3c00885 ↗
29. 10.1149/1945-7111/ab709910.1149/1945-7111/ab7099 ↗
30. van Berkel, F.; van ’t Noordende, H.; Stodolny, M. Next Level Solid Oxide Electrolysis; Report 2023, https://ispt.eu/publications/next-level-solid-oxide-electrolysis/ (accessed 2023-12-08).
31. 10.1021/acsenergylett.9b0114210.1021/acsenergylett.9b01142 ↗
32. 10.1038/s41560-021-00813-w10.1038/s41560-021-00813-w ↗
33. 10.1038/s41560-020-00761-x10.1038/s41560-020-00761-x ↗
34. 10.1039/D0EE02589E10.1039/D0EE02589E ↗
35. 10.1038/s41467-023-37520-x10.1038/s41467-023-37520-x ↗
36. 10.1039/D0EE00047G10.1039/D0EE00047G ↗
37. 10.1038/s42004-023-00836-210.1038/s42004-023-00836-2 ↗
38. 10.1016/j.joule.2018.09.01310.1016/j.joule.2018.09.013 ↗
39. 10.1021/acsami.8b0480910.1021/acsami.8b04809 ↗
40. 10.1002/anie.20200362510.1002/anie.202003625 ↗
41. 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c0027710.1021/acs.accounts.0c00277 ↗
42. 10.1038/s41467-017-01035-z10.1038/s41467-017-01035-z ↗
43. 10.1039/C8EE03134G10.1039/C8EE03134G ↗
44. 10.1039/C9EE01204D10.1039/C9EE01204D ↗
45. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.10503010.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105030 ↗
46. 10.1149/2.0501815jes10.1149/2.0501815jes ↗
47. 10.1021/acscatal.1c0535810.1021/acscatal.1c05358 ↗
48. 10.1016/j.joule.2023.01.01310.1016/j.joule.2023.01.013 ↗
49. 10.1021/acsenergylett.0c0063710.1021/acsenergylett.0c00637 ↗
50. Air Liquide Normand’Hy. Air Liquide starts up a large hydrogen production unit in Germany. https://www.airliquide.com/group/press-releases-news/2015-04-17/air-liquide-starts-large-hydrogen-production-unit-germany (accessed 2023-08-09).
51. Taibi, E.; Blanco, H.; Miranda, R.; Carmo, M. Green Hydrogen Cost Reduction Scaling Up Electrolysers to Meet The 1.5°C Climate Goal; International Renewable Energy Agency https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2020/Dec/IRENA_Green_hydrogen_cost_2020.pdf (accessed 2023-10-09).
52. Holst, M.; Aschbrenner, S.; Smolinka, T.; Voglstätter, C.; Grimm, G. Cost Forecast for Low-Temperature Electrolysis-Technology Driven Bottom-Up Prognosis for PEM and Alkaline Water Electrolysis Systems; Report 2021, https://publica.fraunhofer.de/entities/publication/5a0b888c-453c-449b-9dbb-d18f61c3abee/details (accessed 2023-12-08).
53. Van’t Noordende, H.; Ripson, P. Baseline Design and Total Installed Costs of a GW Green Hydrogen Plant. State-of-the-Art Design and Total Installed Capital Costs; Report 2020, https://ispt.eu/publications/public-report-gigawatt-green-hydrogen-plant/ (accessed 2023-08-18).
54. Randolph, K.; Vickers, J.; Peterson, D.; Hubert, M.; Miller, E. Historical Cost Reduction of PEM Electrolyzers; DOE Hydrogen Program Record 2022. https://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/docs/hydrogenprogramlibraries/pdfs/22002-historical-cost-reduction-pem-electrolyzers.pdf (accessed 2023-08-18).
55. 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.07.00710.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.07.007 ↗
56. 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.11591110.1016/j.apenergy.2020.115911 ↗
57. 10.1049/iet-rpg.2020.045310.1049/iet-rpg.2020.0453 ↗
58. 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.23310810.1016/j.jpowsour.2023.233108 ↗
59. 10.1039/D0CS01079K10.1039/D0CS01079K ↗
60. 10.1039/D0EE00047G10.1039/D0EE00047G ↗
61. 10.1016/j.jngse.2017.07.00110.1016/j.jngse.2017.07.001 ↗
62. 10.1016/j.joule.2023.03.01510.1016/j.joule.2023.03.015 ↗
63. Fredric, B.; Christian, H.; Tobias, P.; Daniel, T. Biogas Upgrading - Review of Commercial Technologies; Report 2012, https://portal.research.lu.se/en/publications/biogas-upgrading-review-of-commercial-technologies (accessed 2023-12-08).
64. Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology (IWES). The European Power System in 2030: Flexibility Challenges and Integration Benefits; Report 2015, https://www.agora-energiewende.org/publications/the-european-power-system-in-2030-flexibility-challenges-and-integration-benefits-1 (accessed 2023-12-08).
65. Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. Levelized Cost of Electricity- Renewable Energy Technologies; Report 2021, https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/publications/studies/cost-of-electricity.html (accessed 2023-12-08).
66. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Future of Wind - A Global Energy Transformation Paper; Report 2019, https://www.irena.org/publications/2019/Oct/Future-of-wind (accessed 2023-12-08).
67. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Electricity Storage and Renewables: Costs and Markets to 2023; Report 2019, https://www.irena.org/publications/2017/Oct/Electricity-storage-and-renewables-costs-and-markets (accessed 2023-12-08).
68. 10.1126/science.aal128810.1126/science.aal1288 ↗
69. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.08610.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.086 ↗
70. 10.1016/j.jcou.2020.10121910.1016/j.jcou.2020.101219 ↗
71. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.11833410.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118334 ↗
72. 10.1016/j.joule.2017.09.00310.1016/j.joule.2017.09.003 ↗
73. 10.1016/j.electacta.2017.09.03710.1016/j.electacta.2017.09.037 ↗