In order to limit the ever-increasing consequences of global warming, the Climate Action Plan 2050 provides for a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Germany by at least 80% to 95% by 2050 compared to 1990. [1] The process industry contributes 21% of GHG emissions in Germany with emissions of 189 million tons of CO2 equivalents per year (2015). [1] In the chemical process industry, only seven basic chemicals, including ammonia, methanol, ethylene and propylene, are responsible for 60% of GHG emissions. One of the most important building blocks of these products and thus of the entire chemical process industry is synthesis gas. The aim of the sector coupling project group is to achieve a sustainable reduction in GHG emissions by implementing an alternative process route for synthesis gas production. In particular, sustainably produced hydrogen is to be used as a raw material for chemical processes and as a central energy source.
Based on the availability of electricity from wind power, a concept is being developed to integrate renewable energies into the process industry in a highly efficient manner. However, the desired high-capacity utilization and thus continuous operation of chemical production plants is at odds with the fluctuating availability of energy from renewable primary energy sources. The concept aims to eliminate this contradiction between the volatility of renewable energies and the continuity of chemical production. A systemic approach is being pursued in which different energy sources, converters and storage systems are optimally coupled.
A comprehensive energy and ecological system analysis is carried out and shows how and where energy converters and short-term and long-term energy storage systems should be integrated into a network in order to ensure robust and continuous production. For this purpose, plants and infrastructure as well as energy and material flows of chemical parks are mapped in a digital twin. To validate the concept and obtain data on process parameters for which only limited database information is available, the digital models are transferred to a pilot plant. Using the simulations and the pilot plant, various scenarios are run through, analysed and optimized. A comparison with a real chemical park will be made using the Knapsack site. It is expected that the results can be transferred in abstract form to many chemical sites.
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Last update: Feb 13, 2025
