Project
Fjernvarme Fyn is looking for opportunities for a collaboration on Power-to-X
Production of electricity and district heating emits a lot of CO₂. At Fjernvarme Fyn, they are now investigating the possibility of utilising CO₂ via a partnership that will deliver a classic win-win solution.
December 21, 2021
- SDG: #7, #11, #13, #17
- SECTORS: Energy
- COUNTRIES: Denmark
- CLIENT: Fjernvarme Fyn
More than 800,000 tonnes of CO₂. This is what the utility company Fjernvarme Fyn as a whole emits annually from the plants on Havnegade - when both the biogenic and fossil CO₂ are added together. The plants supply electricity to the grid and district heating to Odense's residents. But the Funen (Fyn) Island utility company has an ambition: We want to go in a greener direction and limit the emission of CO₂ while maintaining the stable heat supply in Odense.
And that's exactly what Power-to-X technology can help companies do. Power-to-X is a technology enabling production of gases and liquid fuels by mixing carbon from, for example, CO₂ with hydrogen.
Because Fjernvarme Fyn generates lots of CO₂ from its heat production, it has decided to investigate the possibility of entering into a partnership with another company to build a PtX plant next to its combined heat and power plant. A potential partner company may be a fuel producer that can utilise the large amount of CO₂ generated, preventing it from being simply emitted to the detriment of the environment.
Analysis shows the potential
For Fjernvarme Fyn, NIRAS has carried out an analysis of the possibilities of collecting CO₂ and hosting a PTX plant, as well as initial investigations into potential suitable partners in the construction of a Power-to-X plant connected with the district heating plant in Odense.
The analysis included prerequisites, market analysis, framework conditions, limitations and technologies with a focus on interaction with district heating - so-called sector coupling. This was summarised in a conclusion regarding Fjernvarme Fyn's opportunities to offer itself as a partner in a PtX collaboration.
The conclusion showed a promising business case for Fjernvarme Fyn in the form of both environmental and economic gains - partly from limiting emitted CO₂, and partly from utilising surplus heat as well as contributing to a potential partner's production of fuels or other secondary products.
The consultancy from NIRAS was carried out and delivered in the autumn of 2020, and Fjernvarme Fyn has since gone on to search for potential partners.
Power-to-X in short
- By adding current to water, you can split water molecules (H₂O) - this is called electrolysis
- In this way you can convert green produced electricity - e.g. from wind turbines - to hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O)
- The hydrogen is added to carbon - for example in the form of CO₂ from a factory or a power plant
- In this way, you can produce gases or fuels that can be used as fuel by planes, ferries, trucks, etc.
Reach out
Erik C. Wormslev
Senior Consultant - Innovation, Climate change, en
Allerød, Denmark
