Unlike the many fields of renewable energy developpement, carbon neutral synthetic hydrocarnons are not yet the burning question of the hour. Here is some important news, however.
Mai 2019 : European winter quarter of wind power production in 2030 :
In March 2019, Germany spent a fortnight during which half (48 ~ 49%) of electricity produced on the grid was supplied by the 60 GW wind farm. For this winter quarter as a whole, it is 29%.
Similarly for the United Kingdom, the first 15 days of March, it was a third of electricity produced and nearly a quarter for this winter quarter.
We can already plan for 2030, in accordance with the ambition of Europe to strongly develop the production of electricity from renewable sources, affirm that the wind production during the winter quarter of the Iberian Peninsula, the islands British, Germany and possibly also Romania and Croatia will reach the figure of 50% of electricity generated from the wind.
For the whole year of 2030, it would be 24% of the electricity production of the European Union.
December 2019 : European interseasonal storage in 2050 :
Actually, Europe burn 5 000 TWh of Natural Gas each year, with a 1 200 TWh of underground storage. In 2050, Europe wil need about 2 500 / 3 000 TWh, without shipping and land transportation.
Every one have heard that hydrogen will be “the game changer of the 21 th century”, but with a low volumetric energy density, 4 fold lower than methane, the storage capacity will only be 300 TWh, only one heighth. This will not be enough for interseasonal storage.
Synthetic methane from carbon neutral origine can do it. Only a few laboratories try to solve the cost challenge of synthetic methane production from renewable energy sources.
October 2020 : Overview of the deployement of windpower in Europe in 2019 :
Whereas in 2010, only smalls countries reached high level ( Danemark, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, 4 Landers in north Germany … ), in 2019, these are now large industrialised countries which rely on high share of electrical energy produced from wind source.
Thus, the Iberian peninsula, the British Isles and Germany reached 20% of their annual production. Many countries are following suit : Belgium and the Netherlands are at 10%, Austria and Poland at 10%, Sweden at 13%, Romania and Greece at 14%, …
But Italy and France are at 6.5%, less than USA at 7.3%.
December 2020 : Why “Hydrogen Civilisation” will be impossible :
Hydrogen Civilisation, which mean distribution of H2 for all uses including heating an transport, must satisfy the constraints of exceptionnals meteorologicals events like “cold dark-doldrums” or”kalte dunkelflaute” which need big inter-seasonal storage.
Only for electrical grid balancing, it need a minimal 150 TWh th for a two week event with 250 GW ; 300 TWh th with other thermals and transportations uses. That mean, because of the lower volumetric density of Hydrogen, to multiply short term storage/discharge cycle, which could fragilise the underground salt cavern. The only alternative, depleted oil and gas fields is too costly: 30 to 50 € / MWh th.
For all of this constraints, synthetic hydrocarbons energy carriers from renewables energy sources can do it in a better way, like the actual fossils hydrocarbons.
More arguments about this in ” Deep Defossilisation Pathway”: https://www.ncsh.eu/language/en/ddp-1/
February 2021 : Back-up power of wind and solar electrical production :
Balancing power from CCGT : FLH : 2 600 , ( Capacity Factor : 30 % ).
LCOE : 130 to 150 € / MWhel from synthetic methane at 60 € / MWh th in 2050.
About 1 000 TWh th , 600 TWhel from methane + 400 TWhel from hydraulic.
.Also, that mean 240 GWe of CCGT to balance the meteorologicals events in Europe ( one to two weeks ) : notabily, the”cold dark-doldrums” or “kalte Dunkelflaute”.
October 2022 : a mandate for RFNBO :
In September, the European Parlement has voted for a mandate of 5.7% from 2030 of carbon neutral fuels in the transport sector.
Also, NH3, H2, synthetic fuels, all of them must be from Non Biological Origine ( also named as RFNBO : Renewable Fuels of Non Biological Origin ) will have been authorised for massive production : about 15 Mtoe in 2030.
Maybe, this was the end of the beguinning !
December 2022 : first barrel in Southern Chile !
Production of MTG gasoline has began at Haru Oni near Punta Arenas, from windpower energy.
This project have been annonced two year ago by HIF Global, with Exxon-Mobil, Enel, Siemens and Porsche …
Another similar project in Texas at Matagordo in the coming years will produce 600 000 t yearly.
September 2023 : a mandate for RED III !
European Parliement have voted for renewable energy production for the next decade.
Two MEP upon three have approuved the massive deployement of renewable electricity production, but also biomass and RFNBiO fuel.
“The XXI centuary will be … renewable or will not be “.
October 2023 : “Wanted ! eSAF for Airbus planes … “
eSAF have just been legalised last month by an European directive.
The Airbus CEO have protested about low availability of carboneutral aviation fuel.
Also, eMethanol will be needed for Maersk in the Baltic Sea.