The energy transition isn’t just electric, it’s molecular

Electrification is essential for sustainability. Heat pumps and electric cars have lower energy losses compared to the fossil fuel-based alternatives. They increasingly use green electricity, which comes with low carbon emissions. Electricity also captures the imagination more than energy from molecules, such as gas or oil. Much-loved devices, such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and coffee machines all run on electricity. And this is increasingly true for our bikes and cars too.

Electrification is growing rapidly as a result, and this trend will continue. In many developed economies, about a fifth of the energy use comes from electricity. Scenario analyses show electricity’s share needs to rise to 40-60% to achieve climate neutrality. Unfortunately, electrification faces limits; grids are overloaded, and on sunny and windy days, there is often too much green electricity generated, leading to negative prices and idle wind turbines. This complicates the business case for further electrification and investments in renewables.

However, electricity is not the only route to a zero-emission economy. Molecules such as low-carbon hydrogen, bio or synthetic gas, and the capturing and storing of CO2 play a significant role. They are especially important in production processes that require high temperatures, such as steel, plastic, cement, fuels, and glass. They are also crucial for transportation modes that require fuels with high energy density, including aeroplanes, ships, and heavy trucks.

Climate neutrality is impossible without sustainable molecules. The affordability of the transition also depends on the availability and use of these molecules. The transition is more affordable with a focus on cheap molecules (CO2 storage, biogas, recycling, residual heat and blue hydrogen) and fewer societal constraints, such as completely phasing out fossil molecules before sufficient sustainable alternatives are available. Climate neutrality can then be achieved with less profound and complex interventions in the energy system.

The transition requires a mix of electrons (electricity) and molecules (such as gas from bio- and synthetic fuels, carbon recycling, the capturing and storage of CO2, and hydrogen). It is not an either-or story, but a both story.

The relevant question is how policymakers and corporate leaders can intelligently combine and integrate electrons and molecules into a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy system. In technical terms, how should we shape system integration for our energy infrastructure?