Generalized methodology for the optimization of biomass-green hydrogen-based e-fuel system

As global climate change intensifies, the transportation sector is facing an urgent task of reducing carbon emissions , which requires significant development of e-fuel systems powered by renewable energy. In this work, four power-to-fuel technology pathways are proposed for e-fuel systems, including green ammonia , green methanol, bio-based methanol (Bio-methanol), and bio-based sustainable aviation fuel (Bio-SAF). A generalized methodology is proposed that enables the optimization of the capacity configuration and scheduling scheme of the whole e-fuel system. A real case study is applied to validate the effectiveness and superiority of the methodology, and a comprehensive sensitivity analysis is performed for several practical engineering parameters of the Bio-SAF optimal solution. The results demonstrate that (1) the economics of the four e-fuel systems are Bio-SAF > Bio-methanol > green ammonia > green methanol, but the introduction of biomass increases the minimum load of the production unit, and (2) the ratio of off-grid electricity impacts the system the most. This work is capable of providing theoretical guidance for both policy formulation and the construction and operation of real projects. • A generalized methodology for the e-fuel system optimization is proposed. • Four power-to-fuel technology pathways are compared. • Biomass feedstock is considered for CO 2 emissions contributes to the economic benefit of the e-fuel system. • The trade-off between the economy and the low-carbon character is studied for the e-fuel system under policy constraints.