Import options for chemical energy carriers from renewable sources to Germany.

Import and export of fossil energy carriers are cornerstones of energy systems world-wide. If energy systems are to become climate neutral and sustainable, fossil carriers need to be substituted with carbon neutral alternatives or electrified if possible. We investigate synthetic chemical energy carriers, hydrogen, methane, methanol, ammonia and Fischer-Tropsch fuels, produced using electricity from renewable energy sourceses as fossil substitutes. Renewable energy sourceses potentials are obtained from GIS-analysis and hourly resolved time-series are derived using reanalysis weather data. We model the sourcing of feedstock chemicals, synthesis and transport along nine different energy supply chains to Germany. and compare import options for seven locations around the world against each other and with domestically sourced alternatives on the basis of their respective cost per unit of hydrogen and energy delivered. We find that for each type of chemical energy carrier an import option with lower costs compared to domestic production in Germany exists. The lowest cost import options for energy and hydrogen are by hydrogen pipeline from Denmark, Spain and Western Asia and North Africa at 40.6 to 46.8 EUR per MWh (LHV) (1.4 to 1.6 EUR per kg H2) in 2050 assuming 5% p.a. capital cost. For complex energy carriers like methane, ammonia, methanol or Fischer-Tropsch fuel, imports from Argentina by ship to Germany are attractive even compared to closer European Union or Western Asia and North Africa exporters. For meeting hydrogen demand, direct hydrogen imports are more attractive than indirect routes using methane, methanol or ammoniaimports and subsequent decomposition to hydrogen because of high capital investment costs and energetic losses of the indirect routes. We make our model and data available under open licenses for adaptation and reuse.