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Strom zu Gas-Anlage der Thüga-Gruppe hat alle Erwartungen übertroffen
Published

Power to gas plant of the Thüga Group has exceeded all expectations

  • Project platform for exploring electricity-to-gas (SzG) technology in the Thüga Group successfully completed
  • Important findings have been gathered and scientifically validated over the past five years of project work
  • SzG and gas distribution grids are an integral part of the energy transition
  • Politicians must create appropriate framework conditions

Frankfurt/Munich 08/08/2017: The Thüga Group's project phase to explore electricity-to-gas storage technology has been successfully completed. "Reversible storage systems are an important component of the energy transition. The technology enables surplus wind or solar power to be utilised in the best possible way. We were able to clearly demonstrate that the joint system has passed all load tests in the past three years of practical operation. The technology has provided many insights for further utilisation," said a delighted Dr Constantin H. Alsheimer, CEO of Mainova AG. When the plant was commissioned on Mainova's premises in Frankfurt in 2014, it was the world's first demonstration plant to convert electricity into hydrogen and feed it into the municipal gas distribution network. The aim of electricity-to-gas or power-to-gas technologies is to convert surplus electricity from renewable sources into gas for use in the heating, mobility or power generation market.

In the project, 13 Thüga Group companies pooled their expertise and jointly invested in the development of electricity-to-gas storage technology. The focus was on testing its suitability for practical use. From the project partners' point of view, the electricity-to-gas technology has proven that it fulfils the necessary requirements for practical use. During live operation, the system was interconnected with wind and solar plants, a combined heat and power plant (CHP) and electricity consumption using computer simulation in a virtual smart grid. According to the project partners, the technology has thus also proven itself as a component of intelligent grid structures.

"The system has exceeded our expectations, particularly in terms of efficiency. In its relevant load range between 50 and around 325 kilowatts, the entire system - from electricity extraction to gas feed-in - achieves an efficiency of up to 77 per cent, based on the calorific value," emphasises Michael Riechel, Chairman of the Management Board of Thüga Aktiengesellschaft. "We were also able to prove that electricity-to-gas technology is also suitable in principle for use in the primary control energy market. The great commitment of our colleagues at Mainova played a decisive role in enabling us to achieve these results." More than 1,300 visitors have seen the advantages of electricity-to-gas technology for themselves over the past few months.

SzG and gas distribution grids are an integral part of the energy transition

From the project partners' point of view, the following economic and energy-related reasons speak in favour of a smart combination of SzG technology and gas distribution grids:

  • The necessary gas network infrastructure as a storage medium is available
  • Only the gas grid has the capacity to cover the enormous overall storage requirements of the energy transition
  • A large proportion of the storage requirements existing in 2020 can already be covered by converting electricity into hydrogen and feeding it into the gas distribution grid
  • Virtually unlimited storage capacity is created by additional methanisation of the hydrogen produced
  • Coupling the electricity sector with the gas sector via the SzG technology leads to significant relief for the electricity grids and reduces their need for expansion

Decarbonisation of various sectors possible via SzG

The project partners feel confirmed in their view by the latest study by management consultants enervis. This has analysed various paths to sector coupling, i.e. the networking of electricity and heat by 2050. The study focussed on the topics of costs and security of supply. Two key findings are that, firstly, natural gas is the most cost-efficient CO2avoidance option for heat and, by 2050 and beyond, a cost-effective CO2-energy source for backup power plants. And secondly, that a decarbonised world with a conversion from electricity to gas can be economically more favourable than a world without gas.

Politicians must create appropriate framework conditions

"Anyone who fails to take SzG technology into account as part of the decarbonisation of electricity generation, the heating market and the mobility market is blocking the future of what is currently the most promising long-term storage solution and hindering the energy transition," emphasises Mainova CEO Dr Constantin H. Alsheimer. In the opinion of the 13 project partners, the new German government is called upon to present a coherent concept for the development of SzG technology. In concrete terms, the focus is on three points: For market implementation, politicians should launch targeted funding programmes with the aim of reducing costs and further increasing efficiency. Furthermore, a joint network development plan for the network infrastructures (electricity/gas) should be created and an integrated cost analysis of the overall system should be carried out. "Hydrogen and methane from renewable energies must be recognised as biofuels, which will open up additional sales channels for operators," says Michael Riechel, formulating the third demand.

Source: PM Thüga Aktiengesellschaft



Keywords:
Stakeholders, DE-News, Energy storage, Renewable, Research, Climate protection, Mobility, Environmental policy, Ecology

Tagung präsentiert Kompass für zukunftsgerichtete Energieforschung
Published

Conference presents compass for future-oriented energy research

The successful implementation of the energy transition requires a variety of technologies that solve different tasks in the energy system. Missing components must be added and optimisation processes implemented. Technological innovations, supported by social innovations, play a central role here. Several projects are now systematically analysing the potential of individual energy technologies and the need for innovation.

The Renewable Energy Research Alliance (FVEE) will present the initial results of these structured technology assessments at its conference in Berlin on 8 and 9 November 2017. The scientists will also present the latest research findings on wind energy, photovoltaics, bioenergy and sustainable heat as well as sector coupling, storage technologies and sustainable mobility.

Innovations for the global energy transition
Over the past decades, a wide range of technical and social solutions have been developed, which now need to be implemented in a coherent way to achieve global and national goals. Despite the progress made in recent years, existing technologies must become more efficient and cost-effective. Completely new solutions even need to be developed for some problems. The reorganisation of energy systems is creating a huge future market. German companies need innovative products if they are to compete successfully and realise their potential. Research and development provide the basis for these necessary innovations.

Impetus for the development of the new energy research programme
The German government is currently preparing the 7th Energy Research Programme in a broad consultation process, which should be in line with the overarching political objectives. This requires a systematic reassessment of the various technologies and their potential contribution to the energy transition. The strategic flagship project "Trends and Perspectives in Energy Research" initiated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is providing key input. The lead project is divided into two sub-projects, which will present their key findings at the conference.

Multi-criteria evaluation of over 30 technology fields
In the "Technologies for the Energy Transition" sub-project, a consortium led by the Wuppertal Institute is assessing the research and development needs for the key technologies that are currently and will be required in the future as part of the energy transition. Using a bottom-up approach, the project analyses the technologies and lines of development available today and identifies necessary technical or economic improvements. The analytical framework comprises over 30 fields of technology from the areas of renewable energies, grids, storage, sector coupling (Power to X) and energy and resource efficiency. The researchers evaluate all fields of technology according to twelve assessment criteria and ask, among other things, about the contribution of the respective technology to climate policy and the energy industry, the positioning of German companies in the international environment and key aspects of system compatibility. The criteria include, in particular, the economic application potential, the greenhouse gas reduction effect, social acceptance and the status of research and development in an international comparison.

Methodology for prioritising energy research topics
In the parallel sub-project "Development and application of methods for prioritising topics and measures in energy research in the context of the energy transition", a top-down approach is being pursued under the leadership of the Research Centre for Energy Economics. This project analyses the technical, economic, political and social framework conditions of the energy industry. The researchers identify challenges to achieving the energy and climate targets and derive the need for action for future energy research. They are drawing up profiles of measures that also formulate recommendations for new funding formats for energy research.

Copernicus projects
In addition to the BMWi's flagship project, the annual conference will take a look at the four Kopernikus projects of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), large interdisciplinary collaborative projects in which civil society is involved alongside the scientific community. ENSURE focuses on the redesign and stabilisation of the electricity grid through decentralised generators in urban-rural units. Innovative technologies for electricity transmission are just as much a focus as information and communication technologies, which should ensure the balancing and stability of the electricity grid in the future. Among other things, P2X is working on the development of new, precious metal-free catalysts for the production of synthetic fuels. SynErgie is investigating the potential for demand-side management in the industrial sector. ENavi aims to identify the technical, organisational and social framework conditions that have a decisive influence on the success of the energy transition.            

Further materials
 Programme of the FVEE Annual Conference:
www.fvee.de
Website of the sub-project "Technologies for the energy transition":
https://wupperinst.org/p/wi/p/s/pd/626/

 

About the Research Association for Renewable Energies
The Renewable Energies Research Alliance is a nationwide cooperation of research institutions. The members research and develop technologies for renewable energies, energy efficiency, energy storage and the optimised technical and socio-economic interaction of all system components. The common goal is to transform the energy supply into a sustainable energy system.

The member organisations of the FVEE

-     DBFZ  German Biomass Research Centre

-     DLR  German Aerospace Centre

-     Fraunhofer ISE  Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems

-     Fraunhofer IWES  Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology

-     GFZ  Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences

-     HZB  Helmholtz Centre Berlin for Materials and Energy

-     ISFH  Institute for Solar Energy Research Hameln Emmerthal

-     IZES  Institute for Future Energy Systems

-     Jülich Research Centre

-     KIT  Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

-     UFZ  Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

-     Wuppertal Institute  for climate, energy, environment

-     ZAE Bavaria  Bavarian Centre for Applied Energy Research

-     ZSW  Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research



Keywords:
Stakeholders, DE-News, Energy storage, Renewable, Climate protection, New books and studies, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, SDG 2030, Solar thermal, Environmental policy

BUND: Klimakrise beschleunigt menschengemachte Wasserkrise
Published

BUND: Climate crisis accelerates man-made water crisis

June 20 is the beginning of summer and in many places drought and low water levels in the rivers are already the order of the day, the waters in Germany are not equipped against the effects of climate change. In view of the devastating conditions of many waters in Germany, BUND demands a paradigm shift in the way we deal with our waters: The overriding principle in times of climate change must be to keep water in the landscape and return streams and rivers to their natural dynamics within their floodplains. Only just under eight percent of rivers and streams in Germany achieve the good ecological status required by the European Water Framework Directive. Almost 40 percent of surface waters across Europe are polluted by a variety of stressors such as climate change, nutrient inputs from agriculture or straightening. "We continue to heat up the earth, at the same time we drain the landscape. That's why it's no surprise that our local waters are doing so badly," stresses Olaf Bandt, Chairman of BUND, referring to a recent evaluation by BUND on the effects of climate change on water bodies.

If moors and floodplains are drained, not only does the landscape increasingly dry out, but huge quantities of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane are released, which in turn fuel global warming. If the air temperature rises and with it the water temperature, more and more naturally occurring methane escapes from bodies of water. Bandt: "Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more effective than CO2 and further exacerbates climate change."

The temperature trend in recent years has been dramatic for nature. The years 2014, 2018 and 2019 were the three warmest years since weather records began, affecting water bodies as well as forests, animals and agriculture. Bandt: "Falling groundwater levels and rising water temperatures have fatal consequences for people and the environment. Last year's fish kill will not be the last. It is therefore crucial that we take decisive action to tackle the climate crisis. The German government must do everything it can to achieve the goal it has set itself of limiting global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees." In times of climate crisis and species extinction, rivers, streams, ponds and lakes must be able to cope well with the heat and drought, and landscapes that can temporarily store water are needed. The nature conservation organisation believes that this can only be achieved if water protection is taken into account in all policy areas. With regard to the impact of industrial agriculture on water bodies and the Agriculture Commission, Bandt adds: "I expect Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner to shape the future of food production and not prevent another environmentally friendly reorganisation of German agriculture. The same applies to Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer, who must finally stop seeing rivers as wet motorways and actively support their role in securing groundwater for us all."

It is long overdue for the German government to fulfil its obligations under the European Water Framework Directive. This includes improved water management, demands Lilian Neuer, BUND water expert and co-author of the paper: "The landscape must not be drained further and further with drainage systems, even sealed surfaces in the city only drain rainwater into the sewerage system. However, water must remain in the area in order to be available where it is needed in dry and hot times. There are still water reserves, but we are in the middle of a climate crisis - and we need to act now."

Over the past centuries, numerous rivers have been straightened and floodplains, swamps and bogs have been drained. What remains is a dried-up landscape that is unable to retain rainwater, further favouring falling groundwater levels. "Healthy bodies of water are more resilient and can cope better with the negative consequences of the climate crisis," explains Neuer. "Where possible, floodplains must be renaturalised, because only near-natural, living floodplains absorb water like a sponge during periods of flooding and slowly return it to the river when water levels are lower. In this way, the water flow can be improved at times when there is less water available."

BUND is calling for the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive and a sustainable solution to the water crisis:

    • Give rivers more space instead of damming them, as this is the only way to reconnect floodplains and rivers and strengthen biodiversity. Floodplains must be renaturalised.
    • Keep water in the landscape instead of draining it directly so that the groundwater reservoirs can be replenished.
    • Stop surface sealing, because especially in cities, water is drained away as quickly as possible and cannot seep away.
    • Dismantling of transverse structures, as damming rivers heats up the water, worsens the water quality and blocks the path of fish so that they can no longer reach their spawning grounds.
    • To protect groundwater and drinking water, the precautionary and polluter-pays principles must be implemented, as water quality can only be improved if proactive action is taken. Water bodies must be protected from the input of nutrients and pollutants.
    • Water utilisation conflicts must be resolved fairly and sustainably.
    • Instead of further widening and deepening rivers for ever larger ships, the ships must be adapted to the rivers. It must be reviewed on which rivers shipping still makes sense at all under changing climatic conditions.
    • Sustainable water management is also necessary in agriculture, which includes, for example, soil-conserving cultivation, the removal of drainage systems and the cultivation of site-adapted crops. EU agricultural policy must be adapted to the challenges posed by climate change.

More information



Keywords:
Greening / climate adaptation, DE-News, Climate protection, New books and studies, Environmental policy, Water

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