Hydrocarbon Processing - June 2022 - 73

Carbon Capture/CO2
(14%) and biomass (7%) (FIG. 5). Future
installed power generation will be predominately
solar and onshore/offshore
wind. Renewable power can be used in an
electrolyzer to convert water to green H2
and oxygen. H2
is another key decarbonization
pathway, which was discussed in
Part 1 of this article.21
Renewable power is not available at a
constant supply rate, so power grids must
be upgraded to accept fluctuations in renewable
power supply. Solar is not available
at night, and is reduced on cloudy
days. Wind also varies between day and
night, and from summer to winter. Hydro
varies with the seasons. Over a year, the
utilization of installed capacity for solar
was 20%-28%, for wind 35%-40% and
for hydro 35%-45%.22
Energy storage is required to stabilize
the grid and maximize the use of renewable
energy. Batteries can store excess renewable
power during the day and then
release this power into the grid at night.
Significant research in battery energy
storage systems is ongoing. Challenges
include the amount of power that can be
stored (which is limited by battery size
and weight), and the amount of the dispatch
rate of the power back into the grid
when there is sudden demand. Lithiumion
batteries are most used in electric vehicles
(EVs). Flow batteries are an emerging
technology being developed for storing
renewable energy. Flow batteries contain
a water-based electrolyte liquid that flows
between two separate tanks within the
battery. When charged, a chemical reaction
occurs that enables the energy to be
stored and subsequently discharged.
In addition to batteries, other methods
for storing excess renewable power
when grid demand is reduced include the
following:
* Compressing air in underground
storage domes for later
use to drive turbines
* Pumping water to elevated
storage, to be used later to
drive hydropower turbines
* Utilizing molten salts
for thermal storage
* Using electrolyzers for
green H2
generation.
Mitigation
It will be imperative to upgrade and
expand the U.S. electrical grid to supply
remotely generated renewable power to
urban areas that need power. To minimize
line loss (which can be 2%-4%),
high-voltage direct current cables can be
used. Reduced transmission line loss will
decrease capital expenditures and improve
efficiency. Smart power grids will
provide real-time knowledge of power
generation status, along with consumption
balance and the impact of this power
on the grid. They will also enable operators
to instantly optimize available resources
to stabilize the grid.
The cost to install solar and wind generation
technologies has dramatically
reduced. Capital expenditures for utilityscale
solar and wind power are competitive
with gas-fired combined-cycle power
plants. Utility-scale renewable power has
a large footprint requiring a lot of land.
Solar PV systems need approximately
five acres of land to generate 1 MW of
electricity (18% efficiency).23
A land-based wind farm would require
approximately 60 acres to generate 1 MW
Hydrocarbon Processing's Industry Market Outlook: 2022 Update
>> LIVE WEBCAST: Friday, June 24, 2022 | 9 a.m. CDT / 10 a.m. EDT / 2 p.m. UTC
Over the past several years, the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) has been engaged
in a whirlwind of peaks and valleys. This included robust capital expenditures to build
new refi ning, petrochemicals and gas processing/LNG capacity to satisfy future demand.
However, COVID-19 created a fundamental shift in the capital projects market, leading to
delays and even project cancellations. As lockdowns ease, dormant projects are receiving
new life. What nations are investing in these projects? Why are they investing in new
capacity? What major trends are driving the HPI globally?
During this live webcast, Lee Nichols will provide a mid-year update on capital projects
around the world, as well as major economic, environmental and political market trends
that are shaping and infl uencing the industry in the near-term.
Register for this free webcast at:
HydrocarbonProcessing.com/Webcasts
SPONSORED BY:
PRESENTED BY:
Lee Nichols
Editor-in-Chief/
Associate Publisher
Hydrocarbon Processing | JUNE 2022 73
http://www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com/Webcasts
Hydrocarbon Processing - June 2022

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