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Solar methanol synthesis by clean hydrogen production from seawater on offshore artificial islands
Author(s) -
Hogerwaard Janette,
Dincer Ibrahim,
Naterer Greg F.,
Patterson Bruce D.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.4627
Subject(s) - environmental science , waste management , hydrogen production , carbon neutral fuel , seawater , carbon dioxide , methanol reformer , environmental engineering , hydrogen , chemistry , syngas , steam reforming , engineering , organic chemistry , oceanography , geology
Summary Synthetic fuel production from renewable energy, water, and anthropogenic carbon resources offers a promising alternative to fossil fuels by reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources and greenhouse gas emissions. This article presents a case study of a solar‐based methanol plant that derives hydrogen and carbon dioxide material inputs from seawater on an offshore artificial island. Photovoltaic cells generate electricity for an electrolytic cation exchange membrane (E‐CEM) reactor that simultaneously produces hydrogen and carbon dioxide, with freshwater for electrolysis via seawater reverse osmosis. Carbon dioxide hydrogenation in a low‐pressure isothermal cascade‐type reactor system produces methanol as a liquid fuel product. Thermodynamic assessment of the integrated system indicates solar‐to‐methanol energy and exergy conversion efficiencies of 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively, with the most significant losses occurring in the offshore concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) and E‐CEM reactor unit.