Moving ahead from hydrogen to methanol economy: scope and challenges

Abstract

Energy is the driver in the economic development of any country. It is expected that the developing countries like India will account for 25% hike in world-wide energy demand by 2040 due to the increase in the per capita income and rapid industrialization. Most of the developing countries do not have sufficient oil reserves and imports nearly all of their crude oil requirement. The perturbations in the crude oil price, sanctions on Iran and adverse environmental impacts from fossil fuel usage are some of the concern. Therefore, developing countries have started investing heavily in solar and wind power and are considering hydrogen as a future energy resource. Hydrogen is possibly the cleanest fuel and produces only water vapour upon combustion. However, to tap the potential of hydrogen as a fuel, an entirely new infrastructure will be needed for transporting, storing and dispensing it safely, which would be expensive. In the transportation sector, a liquid alternate to fossil fuels will be highly desirable as the existing infrastructure can be used with minor modifications. Amongst the possible liquid fuels, methanol is very promising. Methanol is a single carbon atom compound and can be produced from wide variety of sources such as natural gas, coal, and biomass. The properties of methanol are conducive for use in gasoline engines since it has high octane number and flame speed. Other possible uses of methanol are: as a cooking fuel in rural areas, and as a fuel for running the fuel cells. The present study reviews the limitations in the hydrogen economy and why moving towards methanol economy is more beneficial.

A Perspective on Solar-Driven Electrochemical Routes for Sustainable Methanol Production

“…These JV characteristics emphasize that within the evaluated range of electrochemical load, double and triple junctions exhibit higher current densities across a broader range of cell voltages, making them favorable starting points for the solar integration of any electrochemical reaction. Table 1 presents the determination of thermoneutral potentials for ECR and MOR using Equation (3). It is essential to note that the assessment of thermoneutral potentials considers these reactions under near-ideal conditions, assuming adiabatic reactions and higher potential than equilibrium due to no ohmic or Nernstian losses, which can be experimentally determined.…”

“…While renewable resources, including wind and solar power, have witnessed a commendable surge, constituting 12.84% of global energy consumption in 2021 [2], challenges persist. The intermittent nature of solar and wind energy, along with the logistical hurdles in large-scale electricity storage and transmission, underscores the imperative for alternative solutions [3]. Hydrogen, touted as a clean fuel, faces practical limitations due to storage complexities and high costs [4].…”

“…Unlike hydrogen, methanol can seamlessly integrate into existing infrastructure, making it a viable and practical choice for a sustainable energy future. Moreover, methanol's versatility extends beyond its role as a fuel [3]. Its high-octane number makes methanol an ideal additive to gasoline, offering a cleaner and more environmentally friendly option for the transportation sector.…”

Global production potential of green methanol based on variable renewable electricity

“…On a broader scale, the Methanol Economy 18,19 envisions a substitution of fossil fuels with methanol that overcomes the challenges of the earlier concept of the Hydrogen Economy. 20 While the Hydrogen Economy has regained interest in recent years, 21 both the Hydrogen Economy and the Methanol Economy may become a subset of the broader Power-to-X Economy 22 as power becomes the main primary energy carrier while hydrogen and methanol mainly act as intermediate energy and feedstock carriers. However, energy-industry system models are not yet prepared for an appropriate description of e-methanol and other e-fuels and e-chemicals.…”

Multi-Functionality of Methanol in Sustainable Catalysis: Beyond Methanol Economy

“…Despite all, the methanol economy faces some challenges and limitations, such as i) high production cost, ii) low energy density, iii) toxic and corrosive, and iv) requirement of a large-scale conversion of the existing infrastructure to accommodate the production, distribution, and utilization of methanol and its derivatives. Indeed, this involves technical, economic, social, and environmental challenges that need to be addressed. , …”