Admittedly, we have exaggerated a little. PtX should correctly be abbreviated as Power-to-X. The term was established in the 2010s in scientific and technical contexts as part of efforts to efficiently store surplus electricity production from renewable energies (primarily wind and solar) or to convert it into other usable forms of energy.

Power-to-X thus encompasses a range of processes with the aim of making surplus electricity usable, in particular for industrial and economic sectors that will not be able to manage without fossil fuels in the foreseeable future or that cannot currently be easily converted to climate-friendly energies. Power-to-X is therefore a fundamentally important building block for achieving net zero by 2050 in accordance with the Paris Agreement of December 12, 2015.

While Power thus describes the electricity generated from renewable energies, the X optionally stands for gas, such as methane, liquid fuels such as diesel, gasoline or kerosene, or solid synthetic substances.

But how does the process work in which electricity is converted into other usable forms of energy, and which is described by the term power-to-x with the to?

The keyword is hydrogen. To obtain hydrogen from water, electricity from renewable energies is needed. Carbon dioxide is then added to this to produce a gas or liquid fuel from the hydrogen, which can then be used in land, sea or air transport, for example.

For Power-to-X processes to be sustainable, climate-friendly and environmentally friendly, the procurement of the building blocks of water and carbon dioxide must also be considered. As a basic product, hydrogen needs water, which is already a scarce resource in some regions of the world. Ideally, therefore, the water should be drawn from regions without water shortages or from the desalination of seawater. Carbon dioxide can be obtained from the air or from sustainable biomass, so that no additional CO2 is released into the atmosphere during the Power-to-X process.

Further brief explanations in connection with Power-to-X:

Power-to-Gas (PtG) – This process converts electrical energy into gas, such as hydrogen or methane.
Power-to-Liquid (PtL) – Production of liquid fuels, like methanol or synthetic gasoline. In this process hydrogen and CO2 are converted into liquid energy carriers.
Power-to-Heat (PtH) – Conversion of electrical energy into heat, which can be used directly in district heating systems and in industrial processes.
Power-to-Chemicals (PtC) – Many scientists repeatedly emphasize the importance of PtC for the chemical industry. The main products are methanol and ammonia.