Kopernikus-Project: P2X - Research, Validation and Implementation of "Power-to-X" concepts. Research cluster B1: Decentralized H2-logistic: Storage and Distribution of Liquid Hydrogen Carriers

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Increasing sharesof renewable energy lead to new opportunities and challenges in the implementation of the energy transition. In the near future, there will be days when the entire electricity supply in Germany can be covered by the great amount of wind and solar energy. This means, on the one hand, that it is necessary to find ways to store excess energy and to reuse it flexibly. On the other hand, a more flexible use of electricity can assist the decarbonisation of other sectors. 

The Power-to-X strategies offer a possibility to bind renewable energy and allow its flexible use. The X represents the various substances which can be produced by electrolysis and catalysis processes, for example the gaseous substances methane or hydrogen (power-to-gas).

The “Kopernikus” projects are the largest research initiative with respect to the energy transition. There are four key areas, which address the major challenges of the energy transition: The development of electricity grids, the storage of renewable energy through conversion into other energy sources, the reorientation of industrial processes to a volatile energy supply and the improved interplay of all sectors of the energy system.In each of the four “Kopernikus” projects, universities, non-university research institutions, (industrial) companies and civil society are involved.

The WZB examines the social acceptance of the development to a hydrogen-based energy system with special consideration of the LOHC technology as well as the user acceptance of hydrogen vehicles. The research also focuses on an estimation of possible development paths in the voltage field of central and decentralized supply-and-demand-structures, which is also a task in the project-accompanying roadmapping process.The roadmapping process aims to identify technically, economically and socially compatible Power-to-X technologies.