Abstract
Denmark is one of the Northern European countries that have set up ambitious longterm
targets to reduce GHG emissions from the transport as well as from other
sectors. In Denmark the target is to make the transport sector independent of fossilfuel
consumption by 2050 at the latest. This paper compares a likely scenario with two
alternative ways to achieve the goal - either with a high percentage of electric vehicles
(EV) or with a high percentage of hydrogen (H2) use in the transport sector.
The STREAM model - an energy scenario simulating tool - provides insight into
different potential energy mixes and calculates socio economic costs. It is used to
model the different transport scenarios and their system integration with the
electricity and heating sectors.
The major findings of this paper are that an increased share of electric vehicles could
significantly reduce the socio-economic cost of the energy system in 2050. Electricity
demand for H2 generation via electrolysis is more flexible than EV charging and the
production can therefore, to a larger degree be used to out-balance variable electricity
surplus from a high share of wind and solar energy in the power system.
H2 production may generate heat that can be used as district heating - replacing
traditional heating plants, heat pumps and in some cases combined heat and power
plants. Therefore the energy generation mix (electricity and heat) is more affected in
the H2 scenario than in the EV scenario.
Whether the H2 scenario is more costly to implement than the EV scenario mainly
depends on the technological development - especially the improvement on the
efficiency of the conversion from electricity to H2. It is found that a higher efficiency
in the H2 production via electrolysis plays a more important role in decreasing the
total cost of the energy system than a lower level of electrolyser capital cost.
Therefore, the major driver of a successful H2 scenario is a high efficient and flexible
H2 production in 2050. In other words, from a socio-economic view point this paper
International Conference on Energy, Environment and Climate Change
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estimates that the technological path in innovation should have efficiency as its main
driver towards 2050.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings of the International Conference on Energy, Environment and Climate Change (ICEECC 2015) |
Publication date | 2015 |
Pages | 197-214 |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Event | International Conference on Energy, Environment and Climate Change 2015 - Le Meridien Hotel, Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius Duration: 8 Jul 2015 → 9 Jul 2015 |
Conference
Conference | International Conference on Energy, Environment and Climate Change 2015 |
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Location | Le Meridien Hotel |
Country/Territory | Mauritius |
City | Pointe aux Piments |
Period | 08/07/2015 → 09/07/2015 |