Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review
Summary: To enable a sustainable and socially accepted hydrogen and methanol economy, it is crucial to prioritize green and water-conscious production. In this review, we reveal a significant research gap regarding comprehensive assessments of such production methods. We present an innovative proces...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nexus |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950160125000014 |
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| author | Henrik Wenzel Gian Müller Freia Harzendorf Thomas Schöb Felix Kullmann Jann Michael Weinand Detlef Stolten |
| author_facet | Henrik Wenzel Gian Müller Freia Harzendorf Thomas Schöb Felix Kullmann Jann Michael Weinand Detlef Stolten |
| author_sort | Henrik Wenzel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: To enable a sustainable and socially accepted hydrogen and methanol economy, it is crucial to prioritize green and water-conscious production. In this review, we reveal a significant research gap regarding comprehensive assessments of such production methods. We present an innovative process chain, consisting of adsorption-based direct air capture, solid oxide electrolysis, and methanol synthesis to address this issue. To allow future comprehensive techno-economic assessments, we perform a systematic literature review and harmonization of the techno-economic parameters of the process chain’s technologies. Based on the conducted literature review, we find that the long-term median specific energy demand of adsorption-based direct air capture is expected to decrease to 204 kWhel/tCO2 and 1,257 kWhth/tCO2, while the capture cost is expected to decrease to 162 €2024/tCO2, with relative high uncertainty. The evaluated sources expect a future increase in system efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis to 80%, while the purchase equipment costs are expected to decrease significantly. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of the process chain from a techno-economic perspective and show a potential reduction in external heat demand of the DAC unit of up to 34% when integrated in the process chain. Broader context: To enable a sustainable and socially accepted hydrogen and methanol economy, it is crucial to prioritize green and water-conscious production. This is facilitated by the process chain presented, which also promotes social acceptance as excess water could be used for drinking water supply. By reviewing the techno-economic aspects of the process chain’s technologies on a detailed level, this work serves as a foundation for prospective comprehensive techno-economic assessments. Furthermore, as the investigated technologies direct air capture and solid oxide electrolysis generally experience a high level of interest, the conducted review enables modelers to investigate further systems on a detailed level. Finally, the water-conscious and green production of hydrogen and methanol will make the energy transition more sustainable, and regions that are abundant in renewable energy sources but suffer from water-scarcity will also be able to participate. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-741ac3fd0e2f48e1aac50ed95c136491 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2950-1601 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nexus |
| spelling | doaj-art-741ac3fd0e2f48e1aac50ed95c1364912025-01-24T04:46:09ZengElsevierNexus2950-16012025-03-0121100054Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic reviewHenrik Wenzel0Gian Müller1Freia Harzendorf2Thomas Schöb3Felix Kullmann4Jann Michael Weinand5Detlef Stolten6Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Fuel Cells, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, Germany; Corresponding authorForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Fuel Cells, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Climate and Energy Systems, Jülich Systems Analysis (ICE-2), 52425 Jülich, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Chair for Fuel Cells, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 52062 Aachen, GermanySummary: To enable a sustainable and socially accepted hydrogen and methanol economy, it is crucial to prioritize green and water-conscious production. In this review, we reveal a significant research gap regarding comprehensive assessments of such production methods. We present an innovative process chain, consisting of adsorption-based direct air capture, solid oxide electrolysis, and methanol synthesis to address this issue. To allow future comprehensive techno-economic assessments, we perform a systematic literature review and harmonization of the techno-economic parameters of the process chain’s technologies. Based on the conducted literature review, we find that the long-term median specific energy demand of adsorption-based direct air capture is expected to decrease to 204 kWhel/tCO2 and 1,257 kWhth/tCO2, while the capture cost is expected to decrease to 162 €2024/tCO2, with relative high uncertainty. The evaluated sources expect a future increase in system efficiency of solid oxide electrolysis to 80%, while the purchase equipment costs are expected to decrease significantly. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of the process chain from a techno-economic perspective and show a potential reduction in external heat demand of the DAC unit of up to 34% when integrated in the process chain. Broader context: To enable a sustainable and socially accepted hydrogen and methanol economy, it is crucial to prioritize green and water-conscious production. This is facilitated by the process chain presented, which also promotes social acceptance as excess water could be used for drinking water supply. By reviewing the techno-economic aspects of the process chain’s technologies on a detailed level, this work serves as a foundation for prospective comprehensive techno-economic assessments. Furthermore, as the investigated technologies direct air capture and solid oxide electrolysis generally experience a high level of interest, the conducted review enables modelers to investigate further systems on a detailed level. Finally, the water-conscious and green production of hydrogen and methanol will make the energy transition more sustainable, and regions that are abundant in renewable energy sources but suffer from water-scarcity will also be able to participate.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950160125000014techno-economichydrogenmethanoldirect air capturesolid oxide electrolysiswater-conscious |
| spellingShingle | Henrik Wenzel Gian Müller Freia Harzendorf Thomas Schöb Felix Kullmann Jann Michael Weinand Detlef Stolten Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review Nexus techno-economic hydrogen methanol direct air capture solid oxide electrolysis water-conscious |
| title | Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review |
| title_full | Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review |
| title_fullStr | Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review |
| title_short | Towards water-conscious green hydrogen and methanol production: A techno-economic review |
| title_sort | towards water conscious green hydrogen and methanol production a techno economic review |
| topic | techno-economic hydrogen methanol direct air capture solid oxide electrolysis water-conscious |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950160125000014 |
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