Shaping the future of methanol production through carbon dioxide utilisation strategies

Abstract

Decarbonising chemical vectors used for transportation is a top priority for Europe to become carbon-neutral by 2050. Recent EU's Renewable Energy Directive (RED) emphasises the urgency of adopting renewable fuels and establishing a framework to promote and certify non-biological renewable fuels (RFNBO) and recycled carbon fuels (RCFs). The electrochemical reduction of CO₂ (CO₂ ER) technology emerges as a promising avenue for producing electro-methanol (e-MeOH), which could help defossilise key sectors, including transportation, and strengthen the circular economy. However, its ability to stand up to the established two-step catalytic hydrogenation process remains questioned. We delve into the technical potential of CO₂ ER for e-MeOH production, integrating a process model with a life cycle analysis. Our study identifies crucial advancements needed in product concentration (over 50% wt), faradaic efficiency (over 95%), and cell voltage (below 1.4 V). While the uncertainty assessment indicates that e-MeOH from CO₂ ER could significantly cut carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption compared to traditional methods, further enhancements in key performance parameters (KPPs) are essential to match the performance of hydrogen-based e-MeOH.