in this article, Amir focuses on emissions-to-liquids technology utilizing carbon dioxide emissions and green hydrogen into methanol.
The conventional production of methanol is based on catalytic reaction of synthetic gas which is a fuel gas mixture consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon dioxide and produced during steam reforming of natural gas or coal gasification. Thus making renewable methanol using captured carbon dioxide from industrial points of emission, and green hydrogen will be an effective way to achieve carbon capture and utilization for the chemical industry.
Methanol : Production
Here you will find brief description, industrial synthetic route, and simplified flow diagram to further illustrate production process for methanol
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Market Players
Presently, saudi national methanol company (Ibn Sina) -subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC)- with its chemical plant in Jubail with capacity exceeding 1.1 million metric tonne per year of conventional methanol is also producing renewable methanol by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial points of emission in Jubail petrochemical complex.
Icelandic tech company Carbon Recycling International (CRI) has linked up with Johnson Matthey (JM) for the use of methanol catalysts in renewable methanol plants. Furthermore, Chinese Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemicals has signed an agreement with Carbon Recycling International (CRI) to design the industrial scale plant that will produce 100 k metric tons of methanol per year threfore utilizing 150 k metric tons of captured carbon dioxide on annual basis and 20 k metric tons per year of green hydrogen and hydrogen available in industrial waste streams.
Production Expenses
Obviously, the recent european energy crisis has given much potential for green hydrogen which is clearly observed during mid december last year. Thus, exerting influence for renewable methanol production.
According to Chemiprobe database, europian methanol prices are taking an upward trend
since January 25th reaching 390 USD per metric tonne (rotterdam). However, further process development to enhance electrolysis performance or securing larger fraction of hydrogen from nearby waste streams are critical for economic feasibility, not to mention the unfeasible utilization for captured atmospheric carbon dioxide due to high operational expenses.
Green Hydrogen : produced via electrolysis of aqueous alkaline hydroxides, in which renewable sources are utilized for electrolyzer cell opeartion
Johnson Matthey is multi-national chemical-tech company specialized in catalysis and process development, with its headquarters in UK, and further locations in USA, Europe, and China
Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemical is chinese state-owned company specialized in construction and operation of methanol projects based on biomass gasification