Hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels through methane decomposition of natural gas – GHG emissions and costs

dc.contributor.authorTimmerberg, Sebastian
dc.contributor.authorKaltschmitt, Martin
dc.contributor.authorFinkbeiner, Matthias
dc.date.accessioned2021-01-06T14:23:11Z
dc.date.available2021-01-06T14:23:11Z
dc.date.issued2020-05-04
dc.description.abstractHydrogen can be produced from the decomposition of methane (also called pyrolysis). Many studies assume that this process emits few greenhouse gas (GHG) because the reaction from methane to hydrogen yields only solid carbon and no CO2. This paper assesses the life-cycle GHG emissions and the levelized costs for hydrogen provision from methane decomposition in three configurations (plasma, molten metal, and thermal gas). The results of these configurations are then compared to electrolysis and steam methane reforming (SMR) with and without CO2 capture and storage (CCS). Under the global natural gas supply chain conditions, hydrogen from methane decomposition still causes significant GHG emissions between 43 and 97 g CO2-eq./MJ. The bandwidth is predominately determined by the energy source providing the process heat, i.e. the lowest emissions are caused by the plasma system using renewable electricity. This configuration shows lower GHG emissions compared to the “classical” SMR (99 g CO2-eq./MJ) but similar emissions to the SMR with CCS (46 g CO2-eq./MJ). However, only electrolysis powered with renewable electricity leads to very low GHG emissions (3 g CO2-eq./MJ). Overall, the natural gas supply is a decisive factor in determining GHG emissions. A natural gas supply with below-global average GHG emissions can lead to lower GHG emissions of all methane decomposition configurations compared to SMR. Methane decomposition systems (1.6 to 2.2 €/kg H2) produce hydrogen at costs substantially higher compared to SMR (1.0 to 1.2 €/kg) but lower than electrolyser (2.5 to 3.0 €/kg). SMR with CCS has the lowest CO2 abatement costs (24 €/t CO2-eq., other > 141 €/t CO2-eq.). Finally, fuels derived from different hydrogen supply options are assessed. Substantially lower GHG emissions, compared to the fossil reference (natural gas and diesel/gasoline), are only possible if hydrogen from electrolysis powered by renewable energy is used (>90% less). The other hydrogen pathways cause only slightly lower or even higher GHG emissions.en
dc.identifier.eissn2590-1745
dc.identifier.urihttps://depositonce.tu-berlin.de/handle/11303/12357
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.14279/depositonce-11197
dc.language.isoenen
dc.relation.ispartof10.14279/depositonce-10926
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/en
dc.subject.ddc620 Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeitende
dc.subject.otherhydrogen productionen
dc.subject.othermethane decompositionen
dc.subject.otherpyrolysisen
dc.subject.otherbBlue hydrogenen
dc.titleHydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels through methane decomposition of natural gas – GHG emissions and costsen
dc.typeArticleen
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.articlenumber100043en
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.doi10.1016/j.ecmx.2020.100043en
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.journaltitleEnergy Conversion and Management: Xen
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.originalpublishernameElsevieren
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.originalpublisherplaceAmsterdamen
dcterms.bibliographicCitation.volume7en
tub.accessrights.dnbfreeen
tub.affiliationFak. 3 Prozesswissenschaften::Inst. Technischen Umweltschutz::FG Technischer Umweltschutz / Sustainable Engineeringde
tub.affiliation.facultyFak. 3 Prozesswissenschaftende
tub.affiliation.groupFG Technischer Umweltschutz / Sustainable Engineeringde
tub.affiliation.instituteInst. Technischen Umweltschutzde
tub.publisher.universityorinstitutionTechnische Universität Berlinen

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading…
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Timmerberg_etal_Hydrogen_2020.pdf
Size:
2.98 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
4.9 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:

Collections