The increased use of intermittent renewable power in the United States is forcing utilities to manage increasingly complex supply and demand interactions. This paper evaluates biomass pathways for hydrogen production and how they can be integrated with renewable resources to improve the efficiency, reliability, dispatchability, and cost of other renewable technologies. Two hybrid concepts were analyzed that involve coproduction of gaseous hydrogen and electric power from thermochemical biorefineries. Both of the concepts analyzed share the basic idea of combining intermittent wind-generated electricity with a biomass gasification plant. The systems were studied in detail for process feasibility and economic performance. The best performing system was estimated to produce hydrogen at a cost of $1.67/kg. The proposed hybrid systems seek to either fill energy shortfalls by supplying hydrogen to a peaking natural gas turbine or to absorb excess renewable power during low-demand hours. Direct leveling of intermittent renewable electricity production was proposed utilizing either an indirectly heated biomass gasifier or a directly heated biomass gasifier. The indirect gasification concepts studied were found to be cost competitive in cases where value is placed on controlling carbon emissions. A carbon tax in the range of $26–40 per metric ton of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emission makes the systems studied cost competitive with steam methane reforming (SMR) to produce hydrogen. The direct gasification concept studied replaces the air separation unit (ASU) with an electrolyzer bank and is unlikely to be cost competitive due to high capital costs. Based on a direct replacement of the ASU with electrolyzers, hydrogen can be produced for $0.27 premium per kilogram. Additionally, if a nonrenewable, grid-mix electricity is used, the hybrid system is found to be a net CO2e emitter.
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September 2011
Research Papers
Leveling Intermittent Renewable Energy Production Through Biomass Gasification-Based Hybrid Systems
Jered Dean,
Jered Dean
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401
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Robert Braun,
Robert Braun
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401
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Michael Penev,
Michael Penev
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
, Golden, CO 80401
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Christopher Kinchin,
Christopher Kinchin
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
, Golden, CO 80401
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David Muñoz
David Muñoz
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401
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Jered Dean
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401
Robert Braun
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401
Michael Penev
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
, Golden, CO 80401
Christopher Kinchin
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
, Golden, CO 80401
David Muñoz
Colorado School of Mines
, Golden, CO 80401J. Energy Resour. Technol. Sep 2011, 133(3): 031801 (11 pages)
Published Online: October 3, 2011
Article history
Received:
May 27, 2010
Revised:
July 18, 2011
Published:
October 3, 2011
Citation
Dean, J., Braun, R., Penev, M., Kinchin, C., and Muñoz, D. (October 3, 2011). "Leveling Intermittent Renewable Energy Production Through Biomass Gasification-Based Hybrid Systems." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. September 2011; 133(3): 031801. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004788
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