Sustainability regulations for PtX projects: Scope and impact analysis

The utilization of power-to-X (PtX) technologies as a substitute for fossil fuels is a key instrument in defossilizing the global economy, potentially making a significant contribution to sustainability efforts. This must be ensured or at least supported by legal measures to maximize the full sustainability potential. Thus, in recent years, regulations have been created to ensure sustainable PtX production on the one hand and to promote the use of PtX products on the other. The diversity and complexity of these regulations, differing in their scope of application, the applied instruments, and the respective sustainability requirements, among other things, create potential hurdles for PtX projects and complicate determining the respective influence on technical, economic, and environmental aspects. This review aims to summarize, classify, and assess current sustainability regulations and to evaluate the impact on potential PtX projects. The paper underscores the significance of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII) as the blueprint or reference for the legal regulations within the EU member states as well as the respective certification schemes and incentive and support schemes. The impact of sustainability criteria (power supply and GHG threshold) on PtX projects is analyzed and discussed, highlighting the importance of the electricity provision concept and sustainable carbon supply.