Green Hydrogen to Biogas: Options for Stormossen’s Plant in Vaasa, Finland
Monells Martínez, Anna (2023)
2023
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023070124408
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023070124408
Tiivistelmä
Fossil fuels were responsible for 91% of the CO2 emissions in 2021 (Hausfather & Friedlingstein (2022)), exposing the urgency for low-carbon or fossil-free alternatives. To comply with the EU’s forecasted emission restrictions, Stormossen Oy, a utility waste-to-energy in Vaasa, (Stormossen, 2023), requires minimising its CO2 footprint.
Through a thorough review of the literature, this thesis aims to present feasible solutions for green hydrogen obtention. With the final purpose of suggesting a hydrogen production technology and energy acquisition strategy for Stormossen. After having analysed economic and environmental effects and legal framework for emission reduction, green hydrogen, and biogas.
From a theoretical perspective, the recommendation would be the implementation of one of the most well-established technologies such as electrolysis, gasification, or pyrolysis. Pyrolysis has great economic potential but is inefficient (≃ 20 % gaseous product). Gasification with a 69% of efficiency can be fed with biomass, and although the estimated cost is over 7 million and requires electricity it can be reduced by the production of biochar. Electrolysis (PEM and alkaline) with efficiencies of 80% and 65% accordingly depends on electricity prices. Both are plausible solutions for Stormossen. The recommended method to be researched is the gallium and aluminium reaction since its H2 high yield reaches 90% of the theoretical yield (80% by using recycled aluminium). That technique can be used for water treatments, does not require electricity, has no CO2 emissions, and only depends on reactants and rector prices.
The energy demand was compared to a 2 MW electrolyzer requirement to produce 36.36 Kg of H2. The costs of solar panels (over 4,752,000 €) and over 4 million for a wind turbine implementation were deemed prohibitive. The proposition would be to provide part of the energy using biomass and acquire the rest from a near wind farm or install a few solar panels.
Further analysis and research on the forecast of technology and costs are required.
Through a thorough review of the literature, this thesis aims to present feasible solutions for green hydrogen obtention. With the final purpose of suggesting a hydrogen production technology and energy acquisition strategy for Stormossen. After having analysed economic and environmental effects and legal framework for emission reduction, green hydrogen, and biogas.
From a theoretical perspective, the recommendation would be the implementation of one of the most well-established technologies such as electrolysis, gasification, or pyrolysis. Pyrolysis has great economic potential but is inefficient (≃ 20 % gaseous product). Gasification with a 69% of efficiency can be fed with biomass, and although the estimated cost is over 7 million and requires electricity it can be reduced by the production of biochar. Electrolysis (PEM and alkaline) with efficiencies of 80% and 65% accordingly depends on electricity prices. Both are plausible solutions for Stormossen. The recommended method to be researched is the gallium and aluminium reaction since its H2 high yield reaches 90% of the theoretical yield (80% by using recycled aluminium). That technique can be used for water treatments, does not require electricity, has no CO2 emissions, and only depends on reactants and rector prices.
The energy demand was compared to a 2 MW electrolyzer requirement to produce 36.36 Kg of H2. The costs of solar panels (over 4,752,000 €) and over 4 million for a wind turbine implementation were deemed prohibitive. The proposition would be to provide part of the energy using biomass and acquire the rest from a near wind farm or install a few solar panels.
Further analysis and research on the forecast of technology and costs are required.