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Systemic approach towards the energy system: the critical role of chemistry

Systemic approach towards the energy system: the critical role of chemistry. Robert Schlögl MPI CEC: www.cec.mpg.de Fritz-Haber- Institut Berlin www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de. Energy supply. A vital component of the society.

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Systemic approach towards the energy system: the critical role of chemistry

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  1. Systemic approach towards the energy system:the critical role of chemistry Robert Schlögl MPI CEC: www.cec.mpg.de Fritz-Haber-Institut Berlin www.fhi-berlin.mpg.de

  2. Energy supply • A vital component of the society. • National infrastructure with regional and global interconnections (import-export). • A multidimensional system: • Societal • Economical • Technical • Structure mixed between regulated-monopolistic and free market organization. • Political prize structures, never full cost.

  3. Systemicviews on energysupply

  4. Efficiencychallenge in chemicalenergyconversion:Fossil has a greathistoricaladvantage Energy storage requires excessive activation as the reaction occurs uphill. Kinetics requires a stable product (no waste of excess hydrogen as often assumed!). gasoline reacts vigorously with oxygen as several very stable products result and a massive volume expansion occurs.

  5. To remember • Every step of chemical energy conversion changes the free energy (store or release). • It is fundamentally connected with a tribute to the thermal energy bath („tax“). • The tax is the higher the larger the change in free energy is. • The tax can be “negotiated” through chemical catalysis. • Multiple steps in free energy change reduce the tax per step but increase their total sum.

  6. A systemicsolutionStorage (transport) of large amounts of energy I have a plan....

  7. Theenergychallengeissystemic

  8. All beginswith a chemicalchallenge • Integration of primary solar electricity into demand structure is the most efficient energy system. • Splitting of water to obtain hydrogen as primary solar fuel is the challenge. • Electrolysis at partial variable load is the key technology. • Oxygen evolution is the limiting reaction. • Electrode degradation and use of excessive amounts of noble metal limit practical application.

  9. The solar refinery conceptpower to chemicals as initiator for power to gas Single-moleculefuelsfromsustainablesources

  10. Small moleculeactivation: learnfrom nature.No noble metals! CO2 Reductase [Mo] Nitrogenase [Fe,Mo, V] Methane Monoxygenase [Fe,Cu] Photosystem II [Mn] Cytochrome ox. [Fe/Cu] Hydrogenase [Ni,Fe] 2CH4 + O2 2H3COH CO2 + 6H+ + 6e- 2 H2O O2 + 4H+ + 4e- H3COH + H2O 2H+ + 2e- H2 N2 + 6H+ +6e- 2NH3 Dehydrogenases [Zn] We want to understand this chemistry but we do not want to mimic or model it. (e.g. mechanistic not structural inspiration)

  11. Water splitting:a glimpseintothescience

  12. German „Energiewende“ in 2011 • Stop of nuclear power generation in 2022. • Energy system according to „Energiekonzept 2010“: • Savings of primary energy • Massive use of renewable sources • Reduction of CO2 emissions by 80% until 2050 in a linear fashion. • Massive subsidy of renewable electricity generation (EEG): • Preference in usage • Guaranteed price above market price • Protection against price drop at EEX. www.solarify.de

  13. Structure of the German Energy system • The current debate concentrates on nuclear/renewable electrical energy. • These account for about 10% of the energy content (emissions) of the total system. • The main targets of the energy system transformation are hardly touched. • Extreme focus on pricing arguments. Source: AGEB 2013

  14. Electricityprizes • Electricity prices are high in Germany in international and EU relations. • The prize evolution is different for private households and large industry (high tension consumers). • A substantial contribution for the small users comes from the EEG finance (about 5 ct/kWh). Source AGEB 2013, BMWI 2012

  15. German electricity • Total output and import/export changed over time and after „Wende“. • Renewables enormously increased their shares but not because of „Wende“ (EEG). • Nuclear decreased substantially partly because of “Wende” • Recently lignite and coal grow on expense of gas: negative feedback due to pricing. Source: AGEB 2013

  16. Systemiccharacter Despite 100 Mtons CO2savingthroughrenewableelectricitymore CO2emissions in 2012: Rebound effects of thesystem

  17. Energy systems:from requirements rather than from the past • Sustainable : closed material flows for all harmful species. • Scalable: use processes and materials working on abundant resources without open risks. • Subsidiary: address challenges locally where they arise. • Stable: interconnect solutions to ensure system stability where necessary. • The consequence is an increase in complexity and a change in our target function (complete economics). • Time scales are long (lifetime of infrastructure systems) also long transition periods: chance for novel approaches. • The users (you!) have to drive the change otherwise catastrophic evolution.

  18. Dem Anwenden muss das Erkennenvorausgehen Max Planck Thank You

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