E-fuels are intended to make sectors that are difficult to electrify more climate-friendly. But how resilient are their production systems to disruptions? INFRAS is developing an assessment framework to systematically evaluate the resilience of various power-to-liquid routes.
Power-to-liquid plants (PtL plants) are expected to produce renewable liquid fuels, known as e-fuels, for applications that are difficult to electrify directly, such as aviation. But how well can these complex production systems withstand disruptions?
INFRAS is developing an assessment framework to systematically analyse the resilience of different PtL pathways and plant concepts. The work is commissioned by Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH and PtX Lab Lausitz, which operate under the auspices of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. INFRAS is working with the Reliability and Risk Engineering Laboratory at ETH Zurich and the Technology Assessment Group at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI).
Resilience as a prerequisite for security of supply
Alongside climate impact and economic viability, the security of supply from PtL plants is receiving increasing attention: can these fuels remain reliably available under adverse conditions? PtL plants are embedded in highly interconnected production systems that depend on electricity, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, critical components and complex supply chains. These interdependencies make resilience a key consideration.
A robust assessment framework as the objective
The project examines how the resilience of PtL pathways and plants can be defined, assessed and compared. Its starting point is the plants’ core function: supplying liquid fuels. The analysis covers disruptions such as power outages, interruptions to carbon dioxide supplies, shortages of critical components and extreme weather events. The aim is to develop a robust assessment framework that systematically identifies and transparently presents the technical, infrastructural and supply-chain factors that influence resilience.
Resilient PtL systems as a strategically important element of future energy supply
The work is taking place amid a growing debate about energy security and security of supply in Europe. PtL technologies and e-fuels are relevant in this context because they may serve both civilian needs and strategic applications, including military uses. The project aims to provide a sound basis for transparently comparing different PtL pathways and plant concepts.
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