Carbon Capture and Conversion: A Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Electrochemical Methanol Production from CO₂ Powered by a Hybrid Renewable System
摘要
This study presents a techno-economic assessment of a multigeneration system for CO2 capture from a fossil fuel power plant and methanol production using renewable energy. The system, simulated in Aspen HYSYS, includes a CO2 capture unit, a syngas production unit via CO2/H2O co-electrolysis, and a methanol production unit. Using methyldiethanolamine and piperazine (MDEA) solvent, more than 95% of CO2 from the exhaust gas is captured and fed into the solid oxide electrolyzer cell. The system, partially powered by a hybrid solar-wind renewable energy source, produces 626,409 tons/year of methanol with 99.5% purity. Around 70% of the electricity required for compressors and pumps is supplied by the grid-connected renewable energy system. The overall energy efficiency is 45.40%, while CO2 emissions reach 2.48 kg CO2/kg MeOH due to the high energy demand of the electrolyzer and the solvent stripper columns re-boiler. Economic analysis estimates a production cost of 169 million USD/year, with a cost intensity of 0.253 USD/kg MeOH.