Sustainability assessment of the CO2 methanation value chain: environmental impacts and socio-economic drivers and barriers
Description
This project aims at evaluating the sustainability of the joint project’s “Reduction and reuse of CO2” value chain, i.e. the carbon dioxide methanation value chain – from the production of hydrogen through photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting (partner project 2), through the methanation of carbon dioxide from the cement industry with renewable hydrogen using a catalyst (partner project 1), to using the methane generated as fuel for electricity generation in novel stationary and mobile fuel cells (partner projects 3 and 4). Achieving the potential benefits of such a hydrogen/methane system requires careful integration of production, storage and end-use components with minimised cost and maximised efficiency, and a strong understanding of environmental impacts and opportunities. System models combined with comprehensive sustainability assessments, including life cycle assessments and technology assessments, provide a platform for comparisons of energy systems for specific applications. Environmental, economic and social benefits and drawbacks will be demonstrated for the different technologies mentioned above along the value chain.
Key data
Projectlead
Project team
Rino Anniballo, Jens Baier, Adrian Burri, Evelyn Lobsiger-Kägi, Luis Lopez de Obeso, Diego Sanchez, Gabriel Schneider, Matthias Stucki, Sarah Wettstein
Project partners
Paul Scherrer Institut PSI; Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne EPFL; Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt EMPA
Project status
completed, 01/2015 - 01/2018
Institute/Centre
Institute of Sustainable Development (INE); Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR); Institute of Product Development and Production Technologies (IPP)
Funding partner
NFP 70 «Energiewende»
Research data
Technoparkstrasse 2
8400 Winterthur