Page 20 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2018 publication

20 Spring 2018 European Energy Innovation
COMMUNICATION
Green methane: speeding up a
cost-efficient energy transition
In order for the European Union
(EU) to meet the assigned target
of reducing CO2 emissions by
at least 40 per cent by 2030
compared to 1990 and by 80–95 per
cent by the year 2050, the majority
of fossil and nuclear energy must be
replaced with renewable energy. As
renewable sources tend to be volatile
and generate energy intermittently,
long-term storage is required.
An EU Horizon 2020 Research and
Innovation programme project
coordinated by the DVGW Research
Center at Engler-Bunte-Institute,
Germany, is striving to integrate
power-to-gas (PtG) technology into
Europe’s future energy system. The
project, ‘Innovative Large Scale Energy
STORagE Technologies & Power-to-
Gas Concepts after Optimisation’
(STORE&GO), involves the
demonstration of three different PtG
concepts in: Falkenhagen, Germany;
Solothurn, Switzerland; and Troia, Italy. for such an undertaking. ‘We are
The work builds on previous research
© Regio Energy Solothurn
that has demonstrated the technical
feasibility of PtG technologies,
and seeks to further enhance the
technology’s ability in order that it can of PtG so that we can give precise
be integrated into the daily operation
of European energy grids.
The project is led by Dr Frank Graf
and involves the participation of 27
partner organisations and companies
from across Europe, specifically Austria, security of supply, or to protect the
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands
and Switzerland. Project activities
are spread over nine work packages.
To ensure smooth coordination and
collaboration between the project
partners, the STORE&GO consortium
utilises an online project management
platform, which enables the researchers
to continuously exchange their
progress and findings with each other.
The team feels this level of
collaboration is required due to
the extent of the expertise required
convinced that it is not sufficient to
simply serve the public a powerful new
technology,’ Graf highlights. ‘Instead,
we need to analyse the strengths
recommendations regarding how
and where to roll out this technology.
Policy makers and investors need to
be told how, when and where they
can apply this technology to generate
a business case, or to safeguard the
environment.’ For this reason, the
STORE&GO consortium benefits from
the involvement of large industrial
players, innovative small companies,
and research institutes with a focus
on reactor concepts, electricity
grids, techno-economical studies,
business development and law. These
partners provide the experience and
knowledge necessary to ensure that
STORE&GO’s activities result in real-
world change.
The researchers are working to reduce
the energy losses and costs associated
with existing methods of converting
energy. In addition, the team has
identified that there is currently
no place for PtG in the legislative
framework. At present, regulations exist
for either electricity or for gas, but not
both, meaning that interfaces between
the two networks are not accounted
for. This state of affairs presents a range
of problems, as it creates uncertainty
regarding who may operate a PtG
plant (i.e. a system operator or a gas
producer), there are no clear approval
procedures, and plants run the risk
of being liable for double fees. This
is something that the STORE&GO
consortium wishes to change. ‘We
dearly hope that PtG will be considered
in the ongoing revision of the EU’s
energy legislation,’ Graf explains.
Each of the three concepts being
demonstrated in STORE&GO involves
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu