Analysis and optimization of a carbon supply chain integrated to a power to gas plant in Italy

Italy should solve the problem related to carbon dioxide emissions for the next years and carbon supply chains can be a strategic solution. In this research work, mixed integer linear programming models are developed for carbon capture, utilization and storage supply chains in Italy with multiple storage sites (saline aquifers) while one main utilization section, producing methane via power to gas, is considered. Currently there are no carbon supply chains integrated to a power to gas system. The systems under investigation are designed and optimized minimizing the total costs. A supply chain with the offshore Adriatic sea as storage site is the best solution: a lower value of methane production cost (19.1 €/MWh) and incomes (carbon tax of 80 €/t and economic incentives of 260 €/MWh) are required as compared to the other cases. The total costs of this supply chain are of 7.34·104 million €/y, while 16.1 Mt/y of methane are produced.