Saving renewable energy surplus into methane gas

Every year the power plant which utilizes the potential of renewable energy such as solar and wind increased in the megawatt scale. But unfortunately until now the media storage of surplus energy that produced by renewable energy power plants still has not find the technology. Battery until now is still the main alternative, but the high price and limitations of rechargeable cycle is a certain constraint which is still looked for completion by scientists.

Switching from the battery, researchers in Germany have discovered a new method to store excess electricity production from renewable energy generation. If the gas usually burned to generate electricity, then the process is reversed. Excess electrical energy converted into synthetic natural gas.

These methods were developed by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and working with the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Technology and Energy Systems (IWES) and Diesel Fuel Technology, an Austrian company who is responsible in preparing for implementation in the industry.

The process that is used for conversion is still relying on electrolysis with methanization, namely the process of mixing between hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Results of chemical reactions that occur is synthetic methane. The advantage is that methane gas can be mixed with gas and then funneled into the gas distribution pipeline infrastructure that exists, without the need of creating a separate infrastructure.

A system for testing purposes has also built in facility of Solar Fuel Technology in Stuttgart and successfully operate as expected. The larger systems plan will be built and produce power up to 10MW.