Decarbonized green hydrogen production by sorption-enhanced biomass gasification: An integrated techno-economic and environmental evaluation
Călin-Cristian Cormoş
Abstract
Deployment of innovative renewable-based energy applications are critical for reducing CO 2 emissions and achieving global climate neutrality. This work evaluates the production of decarbonized green H 2 based on sorption-enhanced biomass (sawdust) gasification. The calcium-based sorbent was evaluated in a looping cycle configuration as sorption material to enhance both the CO 2 capture rate and the energy-efficient hydrogen production. The investigated concept is set to produce 100 MW th high purity hydrogen (>99.95% vol.) with very high decarbonization yield (>98–99%) using woody biomass as a fuel. Conventional biomass (sawdust) gasification systems with and without CO 2 capture capability are also assessed for the calculation of energy and economic penalties induced by decarbonization. The results show that the decarbonized green hydrogen manufacture by sorption-enhanced biomass gasification shows attractive performances e.g., high overall energy efficiency (about 50%), reduced energy and economic penalties for almost total decarbonization (down to 8 net efficiency points), low specific carbon emissions at system level (lower than 7 kg/MWh) and negative CO 2 emission for whole biomass value chain (about −518.40 kg/MWh). However, significant developments (e.g., improving reactor design and fuel/sorbent conversion yields, reducing sorbent make-up etc.) are still needed to advance this innovative concept from present level to industrial sizes. • Green hydrogen production by sorption-enhanced biomass gasification with CO 2 capture. • Techno-economic and environmental assessment of decarbonized biomass gasification. • The concept has promising performance e.g., 50% energy efficiency, 99% CO 2 capture rate. • The decarbonized sorption-enhanced concept has negative carbon emissions (−518 kg/MWh).