The role of power-to-transport via hydrogen and natural gas vehicles in decarbonising the power and transportation sector

Abstract

With a number of pathways presented for the decarbonization of the transportation sector, alternative types of technologies such as hydrogen and natural gas vehicles may be beneficial to different categories of vehicle for reducing transportation's carbon impact. In particular, through integration with the power system using electrolyzers and methanators at refueling stations, clean energy produced by renewable generation can be converted into a transportation fuel. Additionally, these technologies have flexible characteristics, meaning they can contribute to the power system's reserve requirements. This paper presents an integrated transportation and unit commitment model to assess how the power system can help to decarbonize the transportation sector and the refueling stations can contribute to power system reserves. Results show how the carbon intensity of the power and transport sectors can reduce by allowing refueling stations to contribute to power system reserves as well as the benefits of increasing the rating of the refueling station's electrolyzer and methanator.