Sustainable utilization of biomass-derived fuels in the Greek industry by 2050

Skarpetis Tsamopoulos, Ioannis

4. Term

Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning, Master

2023

2023-06-01

55

EU sigter mod klimaneutralitet i 2050, men industrien – som står for cirka en fjerdedel af EU’s energiforbrug – møder stadig tekniske og institutionelle barrierer for at reducere udledninger. Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan biomasse og biomassebaserede brændsler kan bidrage til at gøre den græske industri CO2‑neutral i tråd med EU’s mål. Med IndustryPLAN, interviews og et litteraturstudie udvikler vi scenarier for fremtidens industrielle brændselsmiks i Grækenland. Scenarierne matcher brændsler med de varmebehov (proces-temperaturer), som forskellige processer kræver, og viser, hvor meget der kan dækkes af biomasse eller elektricitet. Resultaterne integreres derefter i EnergyPLAN for at vurdere, hvordan valgene påvirker resten af det græske energisystem. Vurderingen viser, at elektrificering alene ikke mindsker biomasseforbruget, mens brug af brint kan. Scenarier med mere tør (fast) biomasse giver bedre økonomiske resultater. Den mest lovende løsning kombinerer elektrificering, tør biomasse og forbrænding af gasformig biomasse, fordi denne kombination giver brændselsfleksibilitet, begrænser biomasseforbruget og sænker de samlede omkostninger. Derimod kan gasformige elektrobrændsler (syntetiske gasser fremstillet med elektricitet) erstatte biomasse og reducere forbruget, men øger systemomkostningerne. Samlet viser studiet, at den græske industri kan afkarboniseres med gennemførlige alternativer, samtidig med at biomasseforbruget holdes på et bæredygtigt niveau.

The EU aims to be climate‑neutral by 2050, but industry—about a quarter of the EU’s energy use—still faces technical and institutional hurdles to cutting emissions. This thesis examines how biomass and biomass‑derived fuels could help decarbonize Greek industry in line with EU targets. Using the IndustryPLAN model, interviews, and a review of existing studies, we build scenarios for Greece’s future industrial fuel mix. The scenarios match fuels to the heat levels (process temperatures) different processes need, showing how much could be supplied by biomass or electricity. We then feed these results into the EnergyPLAN model to assess impacts on the wider Greek energy system. The assessment finds that electrifying industrial processes by itself does not reduce biomass use, whereas using hydrogen can. Scenarios with more dry (solid) biomass perform better economically. The most promising pathway combines electrification with dry biomass and combustion of gaseous biomass, because this mix provides fuel flexibility, limits biomass demand, and lowers overall costs. By contrast, replacing biomass with gaseous electrofuels (synthetic gases made using electricity) can cut biomass use but increases system costs. Overall, the study shows that Greece can decarbonize its industrial sector with viable alternatives while keeping biomass consumption at sustainable levels.

[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]

planning ; industry ; Greece ; EnergyPLAN ; IndustryPLAN ; 2050 ; biomethane ; biomass

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