Towards the Use of Renewable Syngas for the Decarbonization of Industry

Abstract

In this article we analyze how syngas produced in a renewable way can replace fossil-fuel based syngas production and thereby play an essential role in the decarbonization of industry. We show that in essentially all industrial applications renewable H2 and/or CO can replace syngas from fossil fuel feedstocks, and quantify the flows of these chemical building blocks required for the transformation of industry towards a net-zero emitting sector. We also undertake a techno-economic analysis, in which we demonstrate that under specific assumptions for the learning rates of some of the key process components, renewable syngas can become cost-competitive with that produced from fossil fuels. Cost competitiveness, however, only materializes for four of the five routes when natural gas prices are at least around 3 euro/GJ and carbon taxes increase from 90 euro/tCO2 today to 300 euro/tCO2 in 2050. Renewable syngas can replace fossil-fuel based syngas and thereby play an essential role in the decarbonization of industry. We quantify H2 and CO flows required for the transformation of industry towards a net-zero emitting sector. We also undertake a techno-economic analysis, in which we demonstrate that under specific assumptions for the technology learning curves, several renewable syngas routes can become economically feasible. image