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New study: Round-the-clock carbon-free electricity can significantly boost advances in new energy technologies
Adopting a 24/7 green energy approach doesn't just eliminate a company's greenhouse gas emissions – it can also accelerate the development of new technologies. Even a small group of companies taking such a proactive step could spark innovation and accelerate the market roll-out of advanced clean energy solutions. To achieve such an impact, companies would not just simply buy a set quota of renewable electricity each year, they would have to commit to ensuring that every hour of consumption is matched by green energy. This is the key finding of a study by researchers from TU Berlin, Princeton University, and Google, now published in Joule.
While 100% green electricity tariffs have reduced reliance on fossil fuels, they still require backup from fossil sources, especially at night, when there is no wind, and during high peaks in electricity consumption. A 24/7 green electricity approach ensures that every hour of a user's energy consumption is matched with clean electricity. To achieve this, the quantities of green electricity produced must be accurately recorded and traceable at all times, and electricity storage and new technologies for carbon-free electricity generation must be used. Using the PyPSA open-source software from TU Berlin, the researchers simulated various scenarios to analyze the impact such a 24/7 green electricity approach would have on the development of new technologies for the generation and storage of green power.
Long-duration storage and controllable power sources
"Such new technologies would be for example long-duration storage to bridge prolonged periods without wind power, and new controllable power sources such as advanced geothermal or advanced gas-fired power plants with Allam cycle turbines," explains Dr. Iegor Riepin of the Department of Digital Transformation in Energy Systems at TU Berlin and first author of the study. Growing demand for these technologies could help them overcome the "valley of death" – the financing and development gap between the early innovation phase and the broad market launch. "The deployment of the first projects leads to cost reductions through economies of scale, making 24/7 carbon-free energy more affordable for a wider range of businesses and organizations. Widespread use of these technologies then leads to a 'virtuous circle' that brings forward the time when the technologies become competitive on the general electricity market," Riepin continues. These indirect effects unlock reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that go far beyond the direct emission reductions from the initial investments. "Such proactive contributions from the private sector can complement government support for advanced energy technologies, reduce pressure on tight fiscal budgets, and accelerate the decarbonization of electricity systems."
Even a 3% commitment to 24/7 carbon-free electricity could trigger enormous effects
"Our modeling shows that 24/7 green electricity commitments from just 3% of Germany's corporate and industrial energy demand would be enough to trigger learning processes and cost reductions in advanced technologies," says Professor Dr. Tom Brown, head of the Department of Digital Transformation in Energy Systems. To demonstrate this catalytic effect, the researchers estimate that this commitment would be enough to quadruple the expected expansion of long-term iron-air batteries and reduce costs by 25% by 2030. Europe's first storage facility based on this technology is planned to be built in Donegal, Ireland. The principle is more or less based on "reversible rusting": When the battery is discharged, it absorbs oxygen from the air and converts iron into rust; when it is then charged, the electrical current converts the rust back into iron, and the system releases oxygen. The plant in Ireland is expected to be able to store one gigawatt hour of electricity for 100 hours and has an estimated service life of 30 years.
Allam cycle turbine – An example of new technologies for electricity generation
Such corporate obligations to purchase carbon-free electricity 24/7 could have a similar impact on other new technologies, such as the Allam cycle turbine, one of which is already up and running at a power plant in Texas. The combustion that takes place inside it uses only pure oxygen, meaning the exhaust gases consist only of water and CO2, which can be easily separated and stored. This can be done in underground caverns, or the CO2 can be converted back into fuel with the help of renewable energies. This technology is particularly interesting because it could directly use the oxygen produced when hydrogen is generated by electrolyzing water with green electricity. The investigations carried out by the researchers from TU Berlin, Princeton, and Google demonstrate that if just 1% of German industrial and commercial electricity demand is covered by 24/7 carbon-free electricity, this could reduce the costs of Allam technology by 12%; if the coverage increases to 10%, costs could be slashed by approximately 38%.
24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition marks the beginning
"As these technologies mature and their costs sink, we will see their application go beyond voluntary corporate initiatives and on to broader, system-wide decarbonization," says Brown. "The innovation cycle triggered by commitments made in the private sector can be the catalyst for a wave of change that revolutionizes the energy market, reduces emissions, and paves the way for a clean and sustainable future," adds Iegor Riepin. Indeed, there is the "24/7 Carbon-Free Coalition," which is already bringing together companies from various sectors and regions that are committed to using green electricity around the clock, seven days a week. Its members include Google, Vodafone, Shree Cement, and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
PyPSA simulation software and learning model were linked
The PyPSA simulation software developed by Tom Brown and his team combines global weather data relevant for photovoltaic and wind energy with the architecture of the energy grids in the various countries and sites at which electricity is generated and stored. PyPSA was combined with a "learning model" that estimates the cost reduction and the technical problem solving in the development of certain technologies. To achieve this, the team investigated existing and upcoming projects for these technologies and used historical learning curves for mature and established technologies (such as solar cells) as a benchmark. The learning model is subject to uncertainties about initial costs, individual "experience levels," and the learning rate. Monte Carlo simulations were therefore carried out to capture these uncertainties by estimating the parameters using probability distributions derived from publicly available information on the technologies.
Further information:
Read the study in the Joule journal https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435124005440?via%3Dihub
Contacts:
Prof. Dr. Tom Brown
Technische Universität Berlin
Institute of Energy Technology
Unit Department of Digital Transformation in Energy Systems
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 314 22 890
E-Mail: t.brown@tu-berlin.de
Dr. Iegor Riepin
Technische Universität Berlin
Institute of Energy Technology
Unit Department of Digital Transformation in Energy Systems
E-Mail: iegor.riepin@tu-berlin.de
Even with 100% green electricity tariffs, it is still necessary to use electricity from fossil sourc ...
Lolame / Pixabay
Google's data center in Eemshaven in the Netherlands. The company is a member of the "24/7 Carbon-Fr ...
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