An efficient biomass and renewable power-to-gas process integrating electrical heating gasification

To develop a high-efficiency solution for renewable electricity storage, biomass utilization and sustainable gas generation, this work proposes an efficient biomass and renewable power-to-gas process integrating electrical heating gasification. Two types of products, i.e., thermochemical synthetic syngas (TSB) and synthetic natural gas (SNG) are evaluated. The technical and economic assessments are successively performed based on simulation data. The effects of important operating variables on composition, yield and overall efficiencies are investigated to determine the optimal values of the variables. The optimal yields of TSB and SNG can be up to 0.839 and 0.433, respectively, in Nm(3)/kg, and the optimal exergy efficiencies can reach 68.84% and 67.28%, respectively. Under the basic scenario the equivalent unit production costs of TSB and SNG are 2.011 and 2.237, respectively, in (sic)/Nm(3), and both TSB and SNG are profitable and have considerable cost competitiveness within the fluctuations of the key variables. The electricity can be efficiently converted into chemical energy in syngas by this process. The work is a representative reference for the countries lacking natural gas and valuable to guide the development of renewable electricity storage, electrical heating gasifier and optimization of other power-to-X processes using biomass as carbon source.

Automated summary

This work proposes an efficient process for converting biomass and renewable electricity into synthetic natural gas, with the potential to achieve high yields and efficiencies. The study finds that under optimized conditions, the produced synthetic syngas and synthetic natural gas can have significant quantities and competitiveness. This research is valuable for countries with limited gas resources as a reference for renewable electricity storage and optimization of power-to-X processes using biomass as a carbon source.