Investigation of technical and economic aspects for methanol production through CO2 hydrogenation

This study investigates various design and operating aspects for the valorization of industrially captured CO2 towards methanol production and the circumstances under of which this concept can be economically viable. Cost breakdown in various Power-to-Fuel concepts confirm that hydrogen cost is the most crucial factor. Several power delivery options for hydrogen production through electrolysis are compared for their economics. The use of cheap electricity in conjunction with adequate time coverage throughout the annum is of high importance for lowering the overall H-2 production costs. Also, a Power-to-Fuel system integrated with a coal fired power plant can be an interesting option for excess power transformation when the electricity sell is not profitable. The economic analysis on the H-2 production scheme revealed that each of the three main parameters for the determination of the H-2 cost (electrolyzer capital cost, electricity cost and storage cost) can play the key role in the feasibility of the plant depending on the concept each time. A considerable effort is needed in order the CO2 derived fuels to reach a competitive level in the global market. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.