Power-to-Gas Energy Storage by Reversible Solid Oxide Cell for Distributed Renewable Power Systems
Publication: Journal of Energy Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
The conflict between energy utilization and environmental problems is deepening, urging society to promote the utilization of renewable energy in the future energy structure. In this paper, the processes of power-to-gas (PtG) are described in detail for improving the utilization and flexibility of renewable energy. The reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC) technology is considered as a promising route for PtG, especially power-to-methane (PtM). The working principle, electrochemical performance, and dynamic behaviors of RSOC and methane production characteristics are reviewed and manifested by summarizing the existing literature and the authors’ experimental data. From the data, the application of RSOC in the distributed energy system is specifically demonstrated. The basic structure and power management strategies of the distributed systems combining renewable energy and natural gas are simulated and optimized by trade-offs among system efficiency, power quality, and renewable power penetration as well as system cost. It is found that RSOC is able to better integrate the renewable power, heat, and gas in the distributed system to fully utilize various energy sources and achieve a more efficient PtM conversion.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The study support from Project 2014CB249201 supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), Project 51476092 (National Natural Science Foundation of China, NSFC), and Youth Foundation Program for Fundamental Scientific Research in Tsinghua University (221 Program) are greatly appreciated.
References
Bailera, M., Lisbona, P., Romeo, L. M., and Espatolero, S. (2017). “Power to gas projects review: Lab, pilot and demo plants for storing renewable energy and .” Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev., 69, 292–312.
Bao, C., Cai, N., and Croiset, E. (2011). “A multi-level simulation platform of natural gas internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine hybrid generation system. II: Balancing units model library and system simulation.” J. Power Sources, 196(20), 8424–8434.
Bao, C., Shi, Y., Croiset, E., Li, C., and Cai, N. (2010a). “A multi-level simulation platform of natural gas internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine hybrid generation system. I: Solid oxide fuel cell model library.” J. Power Sources, 195(15), 4871–4892.
Bao, C., Shi, Y., Li, C., Cai, N., and Su, Q. (2010b). “Multi-level simulation platform of SOFC-GT hybrid generation system.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 35(7), 2894–2899.
Chen, B., Xu, H., and Ni, M. (2017). “Modelling of SOEC-FT reactor: Pressure effects on methanation process.” Appl. Energy, 185, 814–824.
Chen, L., Chen, F., and Xia, C. (2014). “Direct synthesis of methane from co-electrolysis in tubular solid oxide electrolysis cells.” Energy Environ. Sci., 7(12), 4018–4022.
Gahleitner, G. (2013). “Hydrogen from renewable electricity: An international review of power-to-gas pilot plants for stationary applications.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 38(5), 2039–2061.
Gotz, M., et al. (2016). “Renewable power-to-gas: A technological and economic review.” Renewable Energy, 85, 1371–1390.
Graves, C., Ebbesen, S. D., and Mogensen, M. (2011). “Co-electrolysis of and in solid oxide cells: Performance and durability.” Solid State Ionics, 192(1), 398–403.
He, X. (2008). “Typical off-design performances of internal combustion engine CHP system.” Master’s thesis, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing.
Jensen, S. H., et al. (2015). “Large-scale electricity storage utilizing reversible solid oxide cells combined with underground storage of and .” Energy Environ. Sci., 8(8), 2471–2479.
Kuang, J., Shi, Y., Cai, N., Wang, H., and Li, W. (2012). “Reaction characteristics of hydrocarbon production by co-electrolysis in solid oxide electrolysis cells.” Proc. CSEE, 32(17), 31–35.
Lei, L., Liu, T., Fang, S., Lemmon, J. P., and Chen, F. (2017). “The co-electrolysis of to methane via a novel micro-tubular electrochemical reactor.” J. Mater. Chem. A, 5(6), 2904–2910.
Li, W., Wang, H., Shi, Y., and Cai, N. (2013). “Performance and methane production characteristics of co-electrolysis in solid oxide electrolysis cells.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 38(25), 11104–11109.
Luo, Y., et al. (2015a). “Experimental characterization and theoretical modeling of methane production by co-electrolysis in a tubular solid oxide electrolysis cell.” J. Electrochem. Soc., 162(10), F1129–F1134.
Luo, Y., Shi, Y., Li, W., and Cai, N. (2014). “Comprehensive modeling of tubular solid oxide electrolysis cell for co-electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide.” Energy, 70, 420–434.
Luo, Y., Shi, Y., Li, W., and Cai, N. (2015c). “Dynamic electro-thermal modeling of co-electrolysis of steam and carbon dioxide in a tubular solid oxide electrolysis cell.” Energy, 89, 637–647.
Newton, J. (2014). “Power-to-gas and methanation e pathways to a ‘hydrogen economy’.” Proc., 14th Annual APGTF Workshop, London.
Ni, M., Leung, M., and Leung, D. (2008). “Technological development of hydrogen production by solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC).” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, 33(9), 2337–2354.
Obara, S. (2008). Fuel cell micro-grids, Springer, London.
Schaaf, T., Grnig, J., Schuster, M. R., Rothenfluh, T., and Orth, A. (2014). “Methanation of -storage of renewable energy in a gas distribution system.” Energy Sustainability Soc., 4(1), 1–14.
Senjyu, T., Nakaji, T., Uezato, K., and Funabashi, T. (2005). “A hybrid power system using alternative energy facilities in isolated island.” IEEE Trans. Energy Convers., 20(2), 406–414.
Siemens. (2014). “New approach for energy storage: Storing of green energy with power-to-gas.” ⟨https://www.siemens.com/content/dam/mam/tag-siemens-com/projects/customer-magazine/bilder-und-videos/printarchiv/process-news/process-news-2014-1-en.pdf⟩ (Jun. 29, 2017).
Stempien, J. P., Ni, M., Sun, Q., and Chan, S. H. (2015). “Production of sustainable methane from renewable energy and captured carbon dioxide with the use of solid oxide electrolyzer: A thermodynamic assessment.” Energy, 82, 714–721.
Zhang, W., Yu, B., Chen, J., and Xu, J. (2008). “Hydrogen production through solid oxide electrolysis at elevated temperatures.” Process Chem., 20(05), 778–787.
ZSW. (2016). “P2G: A development ‘made by ZSW.’” ⟨https://www.zsw-bw.de/en/research/renewable-fuels/topics/power-to-gas.html⟩ (Nov. 20, 2017).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 10, 2016
Accepted: Jul 28, 2017
Published online: Dec 20, 2017
Published in print: Apr 1, 2018
Discussion open until: May 20, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.