Prospects of electrofuels to defossilize transportation in Denmark - A techno-economic and ecological analysis

Abstract

Achieving the global and European climate targets requires a green transformation of the transport sector. Electrification may become a viable option in light road transportation, but the use of liquid fuels with high energy density will likely prevail in aviation, shipping and heavy-duty mobility. For these applications, electrofuels, produced from electricity and CO2, may be a promising option, especially in countries with high wind and solar energy potentials. In the present case study, the prospects of electrofuels in Denmark are investigated. At first, an in-depth analysis of the available raw material and energy resources was conducted. The design of a first Power-to-Liquid (PtL) plant was then developed and implemented in Aspen Plus® for a selected site in Denmark. The plant is subsequently analyzed in a techno-economic and ecological assessment. The results indicate that the unexploited Danish wind power potential is theoretically sufficient to entirely cover the expected future demand for alternative fuels through electrofuel production. Greenhouse gas reductions of 95% compared to fossil fuels can be achieved if electricity from renewable power sources is used. However, fuel production costs are significantly higher than crude oil market prices, resulting in very high GHG abatement costs compared to other carbon mitigation technologies.