In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the development of cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. Power-to-X and sector coupling offer promising solutions for achieving this transition by allowing for the integration of renewable energy sources, energy storage, and the use of excess energy for other purposes. Power-to-X refers to the conversion of excess renewable energy into chemical or gaseous energy carriers, such as hydrogen for use in other sectors, eg. transportation and industry. The integration of these technologies can lead to increased efficiency and reduced emissions, resulting in a more sustainable energy system. However, the implementation of power-to-X and sector coupling technologies is complex and requires a comprehensive and integrated approach to achieve optimal performance.
The main objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive power-to-X software platform for industries, designers, and researchers. It is planned to include three main units: energy suppliers, electrolyzers and synthesis plants, and excess heat management. Photovoltaic panels, off-shore and on-shore wind are considered main energy suppliers, which are also actively coupled with the grid and storage systems. The second part of the software is mainly engaged with the development and integration of different synthesis plants, viz. PEM electrolyzers, Alkaline electrolyzers, Solid oxide electrolyzers and methanol and ammonia synthesis plants to simulate and optimize their performance. In the third part, the viable use of the excess heat generated in the synthesis units is analyzed. In this part, the application of heat pumps and thermal energy storage units is also notable. On top of that, economic analysis of the system performance on an hourly basis will be carried out to provide a comprehensive analysis for users.
Fig.1 System overall energy flow
The energy flow of the power-to-X system is depicted in Fig.1. The electrolyzers (PEM electrolyzer, Alkaline electrolyzer and Solid Oxide electrolyzer) convert electrical energy from the power supply technologies into green hydrogen and excess heat. The green hydrogen is then used for methanol and ammonia synthesis plants, while the excess heat is used for district heating. The successful development of such a platform would be a significant contribution to the field of power-to-X and sector coupling research and would offer a promising solution for the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable energy system.
The project is supervised by Associate Professor Ali Khosravi.
Contact information:
PhD student Melika Sadat Taslimi - email: taslimi@sdu.dk, phone: +456550 8192.