Energy Storage

Power to X

In the project, solutions are being developed to produce energy carriers using renewable energy in a flexible and demand-oriented way. The considerations include the energy, transport and chemical sector. The objective is to create a link between material and energy value chains and to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.

Summary

The project addresses both, the various technologies that allow other energy sources to be produced from (surplus) electrical energy and the further use of these energy sources.
There are differen power-to-X technologies that are recently discussed.
Power-to-gas technologies can be used to produce hydrogen or methane from electrical energy, while power-to-chemicals can be used to produce chemical feedstock for industry. Power-to-fuel is used to produce fuels from CO₂ in the air or from CO₂ in exhaust gases.
The project consortium, consisting of 50 institutions, is investigating in detail how the various energy sources can be produced efficiently and with low resource consumption. For example, precious metals are required for electrolysis or catalysis. The reduction or avoidance of such precious metals reduces the costs of the entire technology and alleviates supply uncertainties.
To date, the transport and storage of hydrogen has also been complicated and expensive. Instead of the usual compression at high pressure or very low temperature, the scientists are testing a process to bind the hydrogen temporarily to liquids and then release again.
Finally, the project is investigating how microorganisms can be used to convert CO₂ into chemicals on a large scale. This should provide the cosmetics industry with feedstock for creams and other care products.

Project Participants

Implementing Institutions

RWTH Aachen University

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH

Dechema Gesellschaft für Chemische Technik und Biotechnologie e.V.

Cooperation Partner

International Association for Sustainable Aviation e.V.

Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion