Öko-Institut e.V.: Power-to-X: Why do we need PtX?

Editorial

[Translate to Englisch:] Jan Peter Schemmel, Sprecher der Geschäftsführung des Öko-Instituts

Not a universal solution

Editorial by Jan Peter Schemmel, CEO, Oeko-Institut

Remember Desertec? At the start of the new millennium, someone in Germany came up with the bright idea of harnessing the abundant sunshine in North Africa to generate electricity in vast solar energy systems and transferring it to Europe via long-distance power lines. The idea met with an enthusiastic response. There was one problem, however – there was too much input from German desk-jockeys and not enough dialogue with the countries concerned.

Hydrogen, as a key product in power-to-X…

Not a universal solution

In Focus

Power to fuel

What does the future hold for PtX?

Use gas and fuel with a clear conscience? Power-to-X materials – PtX for short – seemingly make air travel possible with no awkward questions about sustainability. This is because the production of PtX materials is based on (renewables-generated) electricity. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are sustainable or that their broad-scale use is appropriate. To be genuinely sustainable, PtX materials must be based on additional renewable energy sources – and much of…

Power to fuel

Not the first choice

Electricity-based fuels in the transport sector

Back in the mid 1990s, Daimler-Benz set out to develop a hydrogen car in its drive towards an eco-friendly future. More than 20 years on, vehicles powered by hydrogen or synthetic hydrogen-based fuels – known as e-fuels – are a rarity on German roads. Liquid fossil-based fuels such as diesel and petrol dominate the transport sector, while electromobility is proving to be an efficient alternative to hydrogen fuel cells. What role can e-fuels play in future? Where can…

Not the first choice

[Translate to Englisch:] Dr. Joachim Fünfgelt

“There are practical as well as ethical issues at stake”

Interview with Dr Joachim Fünfgelt (Bread for the World)

The Oeko-Institut predicts that in a near-carbon-neutral energy system in 2050, several hundred terawatt hours of PtX will be required. If this involves the use of green hydrogen produced using renewable energies, Germany’s own capacity is likely to be insufficient and large-scale imports will be required from other countries, e.g. in North Africa or the Middle East. But how can Germany ensure that hydrogen production in these countries is genuinely sustainable from both an…

“There are practical as well as ethical issues at stake”