Energy Accumulation by Conversion of Electricity into Gas

Abstract

Currently, the energy sector lacks any available element of accumulation able to store larger amounts of electricity. The only exception is represented by pumped storage plants, the capacity of which, however, is still insufficient.  If the performance of renewable electricity sources will continue to further grow, the available accumulation capacities will have to increase as well. The hydrogen economy also counts with accumulating of electricity, but there is a problem with hydrogen infrastructure which does not exist. The Power-to-Gas system offers a solution for that. Here, hydrogen is converted to methane, for which the infrastructure and customers already exist. Moreover, methane thus produced is CO₂ neutral because the CO₂ production during the combustion of methane is equal to the CO₂ consumption for the methane production. The Power-to-Gas method can be considered as a precursor of the hydrogen economy, into which it could be transformed smoothly in future.