Second roadmap of the Kopernikus project P2X published

At the end of the first phase of the Kopernikus project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the second roadmap published at the end of August analyses the contribution PtX energy carriers can make to the transformation of the energy system. The focus of the report is on the sustainability of processes and products, their techno-economic evaluation and issues relating to social developments and social acceptance. Aspects of system compatibility and the technologies‘ potential for application are also intensively discussed.

It is not, however, a final assessment of the technologies, which are all at different stages of development, and their sustainability, but a progress report at a given instant. The project coordinators are convinced that PtX energy carriers can make a central contribution to the grand transformation of the energy and transport systems if the technologies are now quickly field-tested for large-scale use.

The Kopernikus project develops chemical PtX technologies for the production of synthetic chemical raw materials and fuels in order to be able to provide, on the basis of renewable energies, chemical energy sources and raw materials for the transformation of the energy and transport systems in the context of climate protection and resource efficiency.

Power-to-X technologies enabling climate-neutral maritime transport

"It is time to take the step from laboratories to reality with Power-to-X technology and to advance the necessary plant construction on an industrial scale. TheCO2-neutral fuels produced in this way are urgently needed for a comprehensive energy turnaround in maritime transport," said Dr Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions and Chairman of the VDMA Power-to-X for Applications Working Group, in an interview with Norbert Brackmann, the Federal Government's coordinator for the maritime economy.

The Power-to-X technologies, which convert green electricity into gas or liquid fuels, are available and ready for plant construction on an industrial scale. However, the technology will only be successful if the plants are operated profitably and the PtX fuels can be offered at prices that can withstand competition from fossil fuels. At present, however, there is no legal framework to allow the market ramp-up of the technology. Since the legal framework had taken too long to adapt, Lauber said, a market launch programme for Power-to-X technology was urgently needed.

If the framework conditions are right, Power-to-X offers great opportunities for the transformation of the transport system. Synthetic fuels, for example, are a necessary building block for the comprehensive defossilisation of shipping. Numerous factors ensure that direct electrification, as discussed for road traffic, is only possible to a limited extent in the shipping sector. Therefore, the use of synthetic fuels can mean a decisive step towards climate protection. They can be used in marine engines to replace fossil fuels. Modern engine technology in combination with synthetic fuels thus makes an important contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the maritime economy.