Skip to main content
  • Paul Scherrer Institut PSI
  • PSI Research, Labs & User Services

Digital User Office

  • Digital User Office
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)
Search
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)

Hauptnavigation

  • Research at PSIOpen mainmenu item
    • Research Initiatives
    • Ethics and Research integrity
    • Scientific Highlights
    • Scientific Events
    • Scientific Career
    • PSI-FELLOW
    • PSI Data Policy
  • Research Divisions and LabsOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Research with Neutrons and Muons
    • Photon Science
    • Energy and Environment
    • Nuclear Energy and Safety
    • Biology and Chemistry
    • Scientific Computing, Theory and Data
    • Large Research Facilities
  • Facilities and InstrumentsOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Large Research Facilities
    • Facilities
    • PSI Facility Newsletter
  • PSI User ServicesOpen mainmenu item
    • User Office
    • Methods at the PSI User Facilities
    • Proposals for beam time
    • Proposal Deadlines
    • Data Analysis Service (PSD)
    • EU support programmes
  • New ProjectsOpen mainmenu item
    • SLS 2.0
    • IMPACT
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR

Digital User Office (mobile)

  • Digital User Office

You are here:

  1. PSI Home
  2. Labs & User Services
  3. NES
  4. LEA
  5. Technology Assessment
  6. Projects
  7. IMPEGA

Secondary navigation

Technology Assessment

  • Research Areas
    • Life Cycle Assessment
    • Environmental Impacts Assessment
    • Internal Cost Analysis
    • Risk Assessment
    • Mobility
    • Decision Support
  • Methods
    • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
      • Global Sensitivity Analysis in LCA
      • Prospective LCA
    • Environmental Impact and External Cost Assessment
    • Risk Assessment
      • Accident Risk Assessment
      • Bayesian Approaches
      • Risk Assessment for Critical Infrastructures
    • Decision Support
      • Composite Indicators
      • Interacting criteria
      • spatial MCDA
  • People
    • Former Group Members
  • Projects Expanded submenu item
    • Closed Projects
  • Publications
    • Preprint Journal Articles
    • Journals and Books
    • Reports and Working Papers
  • Theses and Internships
  • Conference
  • Tools
  • News & Scientific Highlights

IMPEGA - IMPort of Electricity-based GAs

Synthetic fuels must be produced at appropriate locations to allow for cost-competitive and environmentally sound supply and replacement of fossil fuels to reduce GHG emissions in an effective way. Iceland, with its ample hydropower potential and geothermal power stations as point sources for CO2 supply, represents such a location. The Nordur Power SNG AG aims at implementing a facility for production of synthetic natural gas (SNG) in Iceland, using hydropower for electrolysis and CO2 from the geothermal power plant Hellisheidi as feedstock for methanation of hydrogen and CO2 with subsequent SNG import to Switzerland. IMPEGA represents a feasibility study regarding logistics of SNG import and the quantification of environmental burdens of SNG supply and use. An evaluation of the environmental performance of SNG in terms of life-cycle GHG emissions and ecological scarcity is expected to be required for application of tax exemptions for import of SNG to be regarded as “renewable-based fuel”.

impega

The Technology Assessment group is performing the LCA of the SNG production, supply, and use chain. The investigated SNG production represents a case of “CCU-fuel” (Carbon Capture and Utilization). Different LCA approaches for the “recycling” of CO2 and – in collaboration with SmartLogistics/FHNW – different SNG transport options are investigated. SNG can be used in natural gas cars and boilers. Preliminary results indicate a substantial reduction of both GHG emissions and ecological scarcity scores (representing the overall environmental performance) of SNG compared to fossil alternatives. The final outcomes are expected for spring 2021.

Final Report

Zhang, X. and Bauer, C. (2021). Life Cycle Assessment of Synthetic Natural Gas  produced with CO2 from geothermal energy generation in Iceland and used in Switzerland. Part of the project “IMPEGA” (IMPort of Electricity-based GAs), on behalf of Nordur Power SNG AG, Bern, Switzerland.

Working Paper

Cabalzar, U., Blumer, L., Fluri, R., Zhang, X., Bauer, C., Bach, C., Frank, E., Bordenet, B. and Stahel, C. (2021). Import von Strom-basiertem Gas. Fachartikel in Aqua & Gas Nr. 6, Schweizerischer Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches (SVGW), Zurich, Switzerland. 

Sidebar

Project details

Duration: 2019-2024
Funding: Nordur Power SNG AG
FOGA

Researchers

Xiaojin Zhang
Christian Bauer

 

Partners

Empa 
Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz
Frank Energy GmbH
Nordur Group
Reykjavik University
SmartLogistics/FHNW

top

Footer

Paul Scherrer Institut

Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 21 11
Telefax: +41 56 310 21 99

How to find us
Contact

Visitor Centre psi forum
School Lab iLab (in German)
Center for Proton Therapy
PSI Education Centre
PSI Guest House
PSI Gastronomie (in German)
psi forum shop

Service & Support

  • Phone Book
  • User Office
  • Accelerator Status
  • PSI Publications
  • Suppliers
  • E-Billing
  • Computing
  • Safety (in German)

Career

  • Working at PSI
  • Job Opportunities
  • Training and further education
  • Career Center
  • Vocational Training (in German)
  • PSI Education Center

For the media

  • PSI in brief
  • Facts and Figures
  • Media corner
  • Media Releases
  • Social Media

Follow us: Twitter (in English) LinkedIn Youtube Facebook Instagram Issuu RSS

Footer legal

  • Imprint
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Editors' login