Benefits of Hybrid Production of E-Methanol in Connection with Biomass Gasification

Abstract

In this article hybrid production of e-methanol in connection with biomass gasification is evaluated against standalone bio- and e-methanol production. We conclude that hybrid production has several benefits compared to standalone technologies. Hybrid production allows the utilization of CO2 from biomass gasification. This means higher carbon utilization (89.8%) and overall (85.8%) efficiency. The hybrid production using only CO and not CO2 from biomass gasification results in increased methanol production efficiency (61.7%). With the CO2 utilization the hybrid methanol plant is able to produce 101% and without 38.1% more methanol per biomass ton compared to conventional gasification-based biomass-to-methanol production. At 100 kilotons of methanol production per year and higher than 10-12 €/MWh renewable electricity prices, hybrid methanol production can produce methanol at a lower cost than pure e-methanol production. With biomass input of 70 MW and lower than 30-35 €/MWh renewable electricity prices, the hybrid methanol production can be cheaper than pure bio-methanol production. With biomass input of 70 MW and lower than 52 €/MWh renewable electricity prices it is more feasible to produce hybrid methanol with the utilization of CO 2 than without it. An additional hybrid methanol production benefit could be flexible operations benefitting from the changing electricity prices.

Keywords: Hybrid methanol, Biomass gasification, Power-to-MeOH, E-methanol, Biomass-to-methanol, Synthetic fuels