Potential of sector coupling for waste treatment plants
Waste incineration and biowaste fermentation plants contribute to the energy supply with electricity, heat and biomethane. We analysed how this contribution should be adapted to future needs and which technology paths can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The environmental and economic assessment of the approaches in sector coupling, CCU and CCS, produces a differentiated picture: The electricity-based production of hydrogen is not advantageous for climate protection until the share of renewable energy in the electricity sector increases significantly – only then can the reduced electricity grid feed-in of the plants be cushioned by renewable electricity sources in the grid.
Improving climate protection and economic efficiency
Flexible, electricity price-guided running of the electrolyser improves climate protection and economic efficiency.
Methane or methanol production under the basic conditions set proves to be economically disadvantageous. To be useful for climate protection, an increased share of renewable energy in the electricity sector is also necessary here. CCS in waste incineration plants opens up a significant contribution to greenhouse reduction arithmetically and enables negative emissions. The changeover from electricity and heat generation to biomethane feed-in was examined for biowaste fermentation plants.
The findings must be viewed in light of the current discourse on CCS and CCU and the Federal Government’s announced development of a carbon management strategy. Our comprehensive study will likely be published as a UBA text in mid-2023.