Thought Experiment on Using Renewable Electricity to Provide Transportation Services

• Published in: Energy & fuels 2021-08, Vol.35 (16), p.13281-13290
• Main Authors: Lively, Ryan P, Realff, Matthew J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Efficiency and Sustainability; Energy & Fuels; Engineering
• ISSN: 0887-0624; 1520-5029
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c02166

There is recent consensus that the global energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable-based energy systems will occur over the next 30 years and must lead to greater global energy equity. However, the exact route that this energy transition will take is highly debated, as a variety of competing strategies have been proposed. These vary from adaptation of existing energy systems to complete overhaul of the global energy infrastructure. In this work, we propose a thought experiment that seeks to reveal how much utility we can derive from refinery-scale (i.e., 6.8 TWh/yr) renewable energy resources. To simplify this comparison, we employ dual axes of CO2 emitted (representative of environmental cost) and distance driven by a personal vehicle (representative of an energy service). We compare electrified fossil refineries, biorefineries, e-refineries, electric vehicles, and direct air capture systems as these energy conversion systems have been proposed as key elements of various energy transition pathways. Our thought experiment reveals that personal transportation electrification (via electric vehicles) is indeed energy and carbon efficient and does not suffer the drawbacks of large area and water usage associated with biomass-based fuels. Alternatively, the coupling of direct air capture with conventional refineries may produce nearly the same outcome in terms of transportation services and carbon emitted if direct air capture can be made more efficient. We suggest that hybridization of these two approaches will provide resilience to the energy transition against unforeseen disruptions or constraints in electric vehicle roll-out.