The Potential Role of Power-to-Gas Technology Connected to Photovoltaic Power Plants in the Visegrad Countries—A Case Study

Abstract

With the spread of the use of renewable sources of energy, weather-dependent solar energy is also coming more and more to the fore. The quantity of generated electric power changes proportionally to the intensity of solar radiation. Thus, a cloudy day, for example, greatly reduces the amount of electricity produced from this energy source. In the countries of the European Union solar power plants are obligated to prepare power generation forecasts broken down to 15- or 60-min intervals. The interest of the regionally responsible transmission system operators is to be provided with forecasts with the least possible deviation from the actual figures. This paper examines the Visegrad countries’ intraday photovoltaic forecasts and their deviations from real power generation based on the photovoltaic power capacity monitored by the transmission system operators in each country. The novelty of this study lies in the fact that, in the context of monitored PV capacities in the Visegrad countries, it examines the regulation capacities needed for keeping the forecasts. After comparing the needs for positive and negative regulation, the author made deductions regarding storage possibilities complementing electrochemical regulation, based on the balance. The paper sought answers concerning the technologies required for the balancing of PV power plants in the examined countries. It was established that, as a result of photovoltaic power capacity regulation, among the four Visegrad countries, only the Hungarian transmission system operator has negative required power regulation, which could be utilized in power-to-gas plants. This power could be used to produce approximately 2.1 million Nm3 biomethane with a 98% methane content, which could be used to improve approximately 4 million Nm3 biogas of poor quality by enriching it (minimum 60% methane content), so that it can be utilized. The above process could enhance the viability of 4–6 low-methane agricultural biogas plants in Hungary.