Technoeconomic and Life Cycle Analysis of Synthetic Methanol Production from Hydrogen and Industrial Byproduct CO2

CO2 capture and utilization provides an alternative pathway for low-carbon hydrocarbon production. Given the ample supply of high-purity CO2 emitted from ethanol and ammonia plants, this study conducted technoeconomic analysis and environmental life cycle analysis of several systems: integrated methanol-ethanol coproduction, integrated methanol-ammonia coproduction, and stand-alone methanol production systems, using CO2 feedstock from ethanol plants, ammonia plants, and general market CO2 supply. The cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions of methanol produced from the stand-alone methanol, integrated methanol-ethanol, and integrated methanol-ammonia systems are 13. 6, 37. 9, and 84. 6 g CO2-equiv/MJ, respectively, compared to 91. 5 g CO2-equiv/MJ of conventional methanol produced from natural gas. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of methanol (0. 61-0. 64/kg) is 61-68% higher than the average market methanol price of 0. 38/kg, when using a Department of Energy target renewable hydrogen production price of 2. 0/kg. The methanol price increases to 1. 24-1. 28/kg when the hydrogen price is 5. 0/kg. Without CO2 abatement credits, the H2 price needs to be within 0. 77-0. 95/kg for the MFSP of methanol to equal the average methanol market price. With a CO2 credit of 35/MT according to tax credit per metric ton of CO2 captured and used, the methanol price is reduced to 0. 56-0. 59/kg.