optimization. Of course, the percentage of surplus heat will decrease over time with technological advancements. However, as the needed scale of Power-to-X and Carbon Capture facilities is very large, the long-term potential for sector integration remains even if the potential per MW installed capacity is reduced. Almost 70% of all homes in Denmark are heated with district heating. At the same time, Denmark has enormous potential for developing Power-to-X through the expansive renewable power resources, especially from offshore wind. Hence, it is natural to consider integrating the surplus heat from the Power-to-X processes into the district heating grid to improve overall energy efficiency. According to a study by researchers at Aalborg University, surplus heat from Power-to-X can potentially provide about 10% of the Danish district heating consumption by 2045 1 .
Power-to-X technologies have emerged as a game-changer in the renewable energy landscape. These processes, e.g., electrolysis and methanation, convert renewable electricity into valuable resources such as hydrogen, synthetic methane, e-methanol, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). These products will be necessary to decarbonize heavy transportation and some hard-to-abate industry sectors where it is impossible to use electricity directly. Similarly, while the world must first and foremost aim for rapid and deep emission reductions, it is by now clear that industrial Carbon Capture and so-called carbon removals, where CO2 is essentially removed from the atmosphere through, e.g., capture and geological storage of CO2 from biogenic point sources, will be necessary if the world shall have a reasonable chance of staying within the limits of the Paris Agreement, according to e.g. the Sixth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The hydrogen production project HySynergy is owned and operated by Everfuel. Located in Fredericia, HySynergy produces green hydrogen through electrolysis with excess heat from the process utilized in the district heating system.
Harnessing the green potential In the coming decades, Power-to-X and Carbon Capture technologies represent some of the primary climate-change mitigation technologies in the energy-, transport- and industrial sectors. However, as with many other industrial processes, they also produce significant amounts of surplus heat as the production processes are not 100% efficient. In fact, up to 25% of the energy used for Power-to-X and Carbon Capture can be utilized in district heating, providing a significant opportunity for energy efficiency and resource
Creating value for all while reducing carbon emissions The utilization of surplus heat from Power-to-X in district heating systems is beneficial not only for district heating companies. In fact, it creates value for all parties, including the Power-to-X companies and the district heating customers. By utilizing surplus heat, Power-to-X companies gain a secondary revenue stream, which not only makes these sustainable fuels more competitive in the market but also accelerates the transition towards a greener energy landscape.
1 https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/449742535/Varmeplan_Danmark_2021_Hovedrapport.pdf 2 https://orsted.com/en/media/news/2024/02/surplus-heat-from-carbon-capture-to-be-used-for-di-13778216#:~:tex- t=%C3%98rsted%20has%20entered%20into%20an,in%20the%20Greater%20Copenhagen%20area
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