Solar Methanol

Solar Methanol

Solar Methanol

Making methanol from solar energy is an attractive means to store solar energy as a liquid fuel. Methanol may be used as a fuel in internal combustion engines or in fuel cells. The substitution of fossil fuels with solar-derived methanol will result in a significant reduction of emissions.

Our technology uses industrial waste CO₂ in the production of methanol. This CO₂ can be obtained from concentrated sources like flue gases of fossil-powered plants and cement factories. Large amounts of CO₂ are expected to be available as industry responds to regulation to curb CO₂ emission.

The recycling of CO₂ to methanol could also provides an alternative to CO₂ sequestration, especially in areas where geologic sequestration is not an ideal solution.

Methanol Production

Industrial methanol (CH₃OH) is currently produced from synthesis gas (H₂+ CO), which is typically derived from fossil fuel (methane). Our technology produces syngas by the co-electrolysis of H₂O/CO₂ streams using a solid oxide electrolyzer. Unlike the current industrial method which produces significant carbon dioxide greenhouse gas, our approach produces not such emissions. The co-electrolysis process: CO₂+ H₂O → H₂+ CO + 3/2 O₂.

Solar Methanol is produces by reacting the syngas at 5–10 MPa and 250 °C over a catalyst consisting of a mixture of copper, zinc oxide, and alumina: CO + 2 H₂ → CH₃OH.

The energy required for the co-electrolysis of CO₂+ H₂O is produced from clean solar thermal energy. Parabolic-trough power technology is the most established of concentrating solar power technologies. The solar power plants use a field of Parabolic-trough collectors to supply thermal energy to a conventional power plant that generates electricity, which drives the high-temperature co-electrolysis process.

Solar Hydrogen