Synthetic methane for closing the carbon loop: Comparative study of three carbon sources for remote carbon-neutral fuel synthetization

TL;DR

This paper compares three carbon sourcing methods for producing carbon-neutral synthetic methane from remote renewable energy hubs, analyzing their costs and feasibility for supply to Belgium.

Contribution

It models and evaluates the energy supply chain for e-methane production from remote hubs, introducing a cost comparison of different CO2 sourcing configurations.

Findings

Combining DAC and PCCC is more cost-effective than using DAC alone.

CO2 captured in Morocco from emitting assets reduces e-methane cost to 136 €/MWh.

Remote energy hubs can produce competitive synthetic fuels for distant markets.

Abstract

Achieving carbon neutrality is probably one of the most important challenges of the 21st century for our societies. Part of the solution to this challenge is to leverage renewable energies. However, these energy sources are often located far away from places that need the energy, and their availability is intermittent, which makes them challenging to work with. In this paper, we build upon the concept of Remote Renewable Energy Hubs (RREHs), which are hubs located at remote places with abundant renewable energy sources whose purpose is to produce carbon-neutral synthetic fuels. More precisely, we model and study the Energy Supply Chain (ESC) that would be required to provide a constant source of carbon-neutral synthetic methane, also called e-NG (electric Natural Gas) or e-methane (electric methane), in Belgium from an RREH located in Morocco. To be carbon neutral, a synthetic fuel has to be produced from existing carbon dioxide (CO2) that needs to be captured using either Direct Air Capture (DAC) or Post Combustion Carbon Capture (PCCC). In this work, we detail the impact of three different carbon sourcing configurations on the price of the e-methane delivered in Belgium. Our results show that sourcing CO2 through a combination of DAC and PCCC is more cost-effective, resulting in a cost of 146 e/MWh for e-methane delivered in Belgium, as opposed to relying solely on DAC, which leads to a cost of 158 e/MWh. Moreover, these scenarios are compared to a scenario where CO2 is captured in Morocco from a CO2 emitting asset that allows to deliver e-methane for a cost of 136 e/MWh.