Renewable methanol production: Optimization-based design, scheduling and waste-heat utilization with the FluxMax approach

Global production potential of green methanol based on variable renewable electricity

“…Secondly, the energy demand of the chosen DAC technology is mainly in the form of low temperature (∼100 °C) heat, 47 which can be balanced at relatively lower costs compared to the power balancing system required to increase the FLh of electrolysers. High DAC FLh were also reported by Svitnič and Sundmacher 41 for a fully flexible power-to-methanol plant.…”

“…By 2050, PV-dominated regions expand around the globe, particularly in Patagonia and Central Europe and the US. A comparison to the available literature shows that Svitnič and Sundmacher 41 also found a PV-dominated system lower in cost than a wind-based one at Port Arthur, Texas, USA in 2020 (Fig. S4, ESI†).…”

“…As electricity generation gets cheaper by 2050, the curtailment rates generally increase 2–10 percentage points around the globe. Decker et al 57 and Svitnič and Sundmacher 41 also found curtailment as part of the cost-optimised solution.…”

“…Of the studies based on point sources of CO 2 , Atsonios et al 38 reported on e-methanol production costs of 800–1700 € per t for CO 2 from a coal power plant, an electricity price range of 20–60 € per MWh, and a 0.25–0.5 availability factor, comparable to our results in 2030. Svitnič and Sundmacher 41 reported on a minimum production cost of 1392 and 799 USD per t MeOH at Port Arthur, Texas, USA, in 2019 and 2030, respectively. In our study, the cost of e-methanol production in the same region in 2020 and 2030 is 1600 and 700 € per t MeOH , respectively.…”

“…Bos et al 40 evaluated the cost of e-methanol production via a 100 MW power-to-methanol system based on a wind power plant, electrolyers and CO 2 direct air capture. Svitnič and Sundmacher 41 assessed the optimised system configuration and the cost of relatively small-scale power-to-methanol systems (40 kt MeOH per year) via a range of power and heat generation and balancing technologies, PEM and solid oxide water electrolysers, and solid sorbent CO 2 direct air capture in 2019 and 2030 at Port Arthur, Texas, USA.…”