The concept of net-zero-CO₂ power systems has gained increased attention by the EU goal to be a climate neutral continent by 2050. As potential pathways toward a net-zero-power system, this work analyzes future power systems based on intermittent renewable electricity with long-term storage through chemical energy carriers, so called Power-to-Fuel-to-Power systems, and a system based on the combustion of natural gas with 100% carbon capture and storage. The chemical energy carriers selected for electricity storage are hydrogen, methane and ammonia. Using life cycle assessment, we determine and compare the environmental impacts of 1 kWh of dispatchable electricity produced by the two pathways on seven impact categories. There was not one single pathway that had the most environmental benefits on all seven impact categories. Of the Power-to-Fuel-to-Power systems assessed the use of hydrogen for storage has the lowest environmental impact in all categories. Additionally, all the Power-to-Fuel-to-Power systems have a lower environmental impact on climate change, photochemical ozone formation and fossil resource depletion compared with the natural gas with carbon capture and storage system. The natural gas with carbon capture and storage system has a lower environmental impact on particulate matter formation, marine eutrophication and mineral resource scarcity. Our work is complemented by an analysis of pathways from a net-zero-direct-CO₂ to a life-cycle net-zero-CO₂-equivalent power system which is actually climate neutral, achieved by direct air capture of the residual CO₂ from the atmosphere. However, this leads to an increase in all other impact categories of 11% for the Power-to-Fuel-to-Power systems and 21% in the natural gas combustion with carbon capture and storage system. A system sizing study also highlights the very low capacity factors of the capital employed for electricity storage, raising the point of economic feasibility.

零净CO ₂的概念欧盟的目标是到2050年成为气候中和大陆，电力系统已受到越来越多的关注。作为实现零净电力系统的潜在途径，这项工作分析了基于间歇性可再生电力并通过化学能长期存储的未来电力系统载体，即所谓的“动力-燃料-动力”系统，以及一种基于天然气燃烧并具有100％碳捕获和存储功能的系统。选择用于储电的化学能载体是氢，甲烷和氨。使用生命周期评估，我们确定并比较两种途径产生的1 kWh可调度电力对七个影响类别的环境影响。在所有七个影响类别中，没有哪一种途径能带来最大的环境效益。在评估的“动力-燃料-动力”系统中，使用氢存储在所有类别中对环境的影响最小。此外，与带有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气相比，所有的“动力-燃料-动力”系统对气候变化，光化学臭氧形成和化石资源消耗的环境影响都较小。具有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气对颗粒物形成，海洋富营养化和矿产资源稀缺性的环境影响较小。通过对净零直接CO的路径进行分析，可以补充我们的工作 与具有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气相比，光化学臭氧的形成和化石资源的枯竭。具有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气对颗粒物形成，海洋富营养化和矿产资源稀缺性的环境影响较小。通过对净零直接CO的路径进行分析，可以补充我们的工作 与具有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气相比，光化学臭氧的形成和化石资源的枯竭。具有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气对颗粒物形成，海洋富营养化和矿产资源稀缺性的环境影响较小。通过对净零直接CO的路径进行分析，可以补充我们的工作₂到生命周期净零CO ₂等效功率系统，该系统实际上是气候中性的，它是通过从空气中直接从大气中捕获残留的CO ₂来实现的。但是，这导致所有其他影响类别的动力-燃料-动力系统增加了11％，带有碳捕获和存储系统的天然气燃烧增加了21％。系统规模研究还强调了用于储电的资本的极低容量因素，从而提高了经济可行性。